Where is Love
by Gleeks09
Summary: AU: Shelby is a star living in New York City. Her life is interrupted and completely turned upside when she meets a young orphan who may be the key to finding a part of herself that was lost long ago. AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – Hello! I've got a new story for all of you to read. This is not related to any of the other stories I've got and I'm excited to be doing something new. I've got it all mapped out and planned and I hope I can do a good job of getting it all down on paper. I hope you guys like it. **

**Disclaimer – I don't own Glee.**

Shelby Corcoran squinted her eyes at the bright sunlight as she walked up from the subway station below the street. It was a cold day, but the sun was out in full force and glistening off some of the patches of snow that still littered the ground. Shelby had felt like a walk that early afternoon, but wanted to get away from the busy streets near her Manhattan apartment building. Besides, more people seemed to recognize her there than down here in a quiet corner of Central Park. She didn't really mind stopping to sign autographs or take a few pictures, but it could also become tiresome. And she really just wanted to be alone today. She had lost someone very important to her eight years ago and it never seemed to get easier, even as the years passed.

Shelby strolled along a path for about half a mile before she came to a stop and sat on a bench under a tree. She looked around and saw a few couples walking hand-in-hand and a few kids scattered here and there. Those kids should probably be in school, but it was December and there were always tourists. Her eyes went far away for a few moments as she thought about where she would take her child for vacation in December. If she had a child.

Shelby had never married and instead had focused on her career. And at only 28, it had paid off in spades because she had two Tony awards and an Oscar. She had released a few albums and made movies she was proud of and was even looking to dip her toes into television in the near future. Her latest run on Broadway had ended four months ago. She had walked away with her second Tony and had cemented even further her status as one of the premiere theater stars of her time. Everything she touched seemed to turn to gold and people all over the world adored her. Her personal life was another matter, but she kept that close to her chest and never talked about it publically.

She found a warm spot where the sun shone through the trees and she could feel herself getting sleepy as she sat there on the bench. The small bag she carried with her to hold her keys and some money and ID was sitting at her side and she took her hand off of it and rested it in her lap and looked out over one of the small ponds.

The tiny blur that ran by her caught Shelby by surprise, but she reacted quickly. The kid had Shelby's bag in her hand and was trying to run off.

"Hey!" Shelby yelled as she shot up from the bench and grabbed the kid's arm and held her in place.

"Let me go!" the little girl yelled.

She was flailing and kicking and landed a hit on Shelby's shin with her shoe.

"Ow!" Shelby cried out. "Stop it right now!"

The girl continued to struggle, but Shelby held her firmly. She reached around her and pried her bag from the girl's small, but strong hand.

"What are you doing?" Shelby asked, shaking her a bit.

The girl tried to slip out of her thin jacket so she could run off, but Shelby's grip was too strong.

"I was just hungry," the girl said pitifully. A new tactic seemed to be in order. "I thought you might have some money so I could buy food."

Shelby pursed her lips and stared down at this little urchin who was now looking up at her with big brown eyes that were slightly obscured by the tangled brown hair that went everywhere on that kid's head. She just shook her head because she knew a good performance when she saw one.

"Then you should have asked," Shelby said. "I would have bought you some food. Stealing is wrong. I'm sure your parents are going to love to hear about this."

"Let me go!" the girl suddenly yelled again and stomped on Shelby's foot.

"Ow, fu- ow!" Shelby yelled, but she didn't let go as the girl wanted. "Let's go."

"Leave me alone," the girl was still struggling to get away as Shelby marched her down the path.

Her eyes went wide when she saw where they were headed. This was not going to be good. She cursed herself for getting caught this time. She was so fast that most people couldn't catch her. Even so, she'd been reported a couple times before now. All she wanted was the money; she always just dumped the rest of the bag or wallet on the street or sidewalk and kept going. Logically she knew stealing was wrong, but how else was she supposed to get any money? The people she lived with sure wouldn't give her any. God, she hated living there.

Shelby held the door to the police station open and guided the girl in and went to the front desk. Her grip never loosened even as the girl tried to struggle again to get away.

"What can I help you with?" a young office behind the desk asked.

"I'd like to report an attempted robbery," Shelby said. "This girl tried to steal my purse, but I caught her in the act."

The office stood up and looked over the desk and down at the girl in front of him.

"Back again, huh?" he asked her.

The girl didn't say anything, but she did stop struggling and looked down at her feet. She hated how they all looked at her like she was so horrible. None of them understood anything.

Shelby looked at the child in her grasp and sighed. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her now that she was getting a better look at her. It was cold outside, but the girl didn't have on more than a windbreaker. Her shoes were worn and her jeans were dirty and it didn't look like her hair had been washed in a few days. There was something about this kid that she felt drawn to even though she couldn't explain what it was.

"I'll take her back to a room so we can hold her until her social worker gets here," the officer said. "I'm going to need you to fill out some paperwork."

"Her social worker?" Shelby asked.

"Yeah, we've had her in here a couple times before and he's always the one that shows up," the officer explained. "Not sure about her parents."

"I don't have any parents," the girl mumbled.

"You better watch yourself, young lady," the officer said as he rounded the corner to get her. "You're going to end up in juvie one of these times. This might actually be the time that does it."

The girl looked away defiantly and refused to acknowledge it, but Shelby couldn't help but think she looked scared. She really was a tiny thing and Shelby wasn't even sure how old she might be. Why wasn't she in school? Why was she stealing in Central Park?

The girl was led away and Shelby followed them down the hall and watched as the tiny child was placed in a room that was normally used for questioning. It was explained to Shelby that they didn't have the facilities for a kid so young in their office. The girl refused a glass of water and sat in a chair that was too tall for her, causing her feet to dangle. She sat up straight and proud until the doors were closed and she didn't think anyone could see her anymore. Shelby and a couple of officers watched through the two-way mirror as the girl's shoulders slumped and she laid her head on her hands on the table.

Shelby was given the proper paperwork needed for her to press charges and was left alone in the room so she could fill it out. She worked slowly though and would glance up and watch the child for a few moments.

It took forty minutes for him to arrive, but Leroy Carter was soon led into the room so he could meet Shelby. He carried a briefcase and a brown paper bag and looked through the mirrors and shook his head at the girl on the other side.

"Rachel," he said with a sigh. This was becoming all too frequent.

Rachel. Shelby looked at the girl again and smiled slightly at the name. It suited her.

"And you're Shelby Corcoran," Leroy said. "Wow, she's upped her game some. She's trying to steal from the best now," his tone was light and gave her a smile as he shook her hand. "I'm Leroy Carter, Rachel's social worker."

Leroy had been shocked when the officers who met him at the desk told him it was Shelby Corcoran who brought Rachel in. He had noticed the way the star was looking at Rachel and he thought it couldn't hurt to try and get her not to press charges. Rachel needed this one. He was doing everything he could to get her a new foster home and this would set it back indefinitely.

"It's nice to meet you," Shelby said.

"I'm sorry about all of this," Leroy said. "Stealing is something new she started doing and I haven't been able to figure out why. She just says she needs the money. You have all of your stuff?"

"Yeah," Shelby said. "I grabbed her before she could get far."

"Good. This is going to be a bear to explain to her foster parents," Leroy said. "She's already walking a thin line there."

"Why aren't they here?" Shelby said.

"They don't want to have to deal with it," Leroy said. "With her."

"Then why is she with them?" Shelby asked.

"She's a tough placement," Leroy said. "And not all foster parents are ideal. No one is naïve enough to think that."

"So what will happen to her now?" Shelby asked.

"It all depends," Leroy said. "I need to go in and see her and give her this, but if you'll wait, I'll tell you a little bit about her."

"What are you giving her?" Shelby asked.

"A peanut butter and jelly sandwich and milk," Leroy said as he held up the bag for Shelby to see. "She loves them, but isn't allowed to have them at her home."

"Why ever not?"

"One of the other kids that lives there has a peanut allergy and so they won't buy any peanut butter," Leroy said.

"Couldn't they keep it separate so he doesn't have any?" Shelby asked.

"They don't want to," Leroy said. "They're working on adopting that little boy and Rachel is an afterthought sometimes. I bring her a sandwich every time I see her."

"How could she be an afterthought?" Shelby wondered aloud as Leroy left the room. Her heart just ached for that little girl.

Shelby watched as Leroy went into the room and pulled a chair close to Rachel and sat down. She felt her chest tighten as Rachel started to cry. She was so young and scared. Leroy rubbed her back and spoke gently to her to try and sooth her fears and calm her down. He pulled a small bottle of milk from the bag and then the sandwich and unwrapped it for her. Shelby smiled as Rachel's eyes lit up and she took a huge bite and got grape jelly on her face. Leroy soon left her alone to eat and came back to Shelby and sat down at the table with her.

"I think you made her day with that sandwich," Shelby said when Leroy came back into her room.

"Yeah, she's always happy to have one," Leroy said. "I know you must think her foster parents are terrible, but they're really not. They're just not suited for Rachel."

"How so?" Shelby asked.

"Like I said before, she's a tough placement," Leroy said. "And things like the stealing just make it harder. But I won't bore you with the little details. I know you've got that paperwork to finish up."

"I'm not going to press charges," Shelby said.

"You're not?" Leroy asked with a smile. "Thank you. I know you barely know her, but Rachel is not a kid who deserves to be locked up."

"I couldn't do that to her," Shelby said. "If you have the time, I'd love to know some more about her. How old is she?"

"She'll be eight in two days," Leroy said, "but you'd never know it to look at her. She's always been really tiny. She's been in the system since she was born. No father ever showed up and her mother ran out of the hospital not long after her birth. She left a note saying the dad would have wanted her to be called Rachel. She was premature and spent a few months in the intensive care unit. She slipped through the cracks of the healthy babies that get adopted right away. She's a strong willed child and hasn't ever really lasted long in foster homes. Either they couldn't handle her or she was miserable with them. And now the stealing has started. I keep trying to explain to her the path she's going down, but she doesn't really seem to get it. She knows when she's in trouble, but she doesn't quite grasp what the consequences could be."

"Why is she miserable in so many homes?" Shelby asked.

"Different reasons," Leroy shrugged. "She goes to therapy once a week and sometimes she opens up and sometimes she doesn't. She asks about why she doesn't have a mom. She wants a mom so badly."

"Not a dad?"

"She does want a dad, but that craving isn't the same," Leroy said. "Her therapist suspects that it's because she's always had me. I've been her social worker since she was born. I'm the constant in her life."

"So why has she never taken to any of the foster mothers?" Shelby asked.

"Who knows really," Leroy said. "People like or dislike other people for all manner of reasons. And she can be a handful and can cause a lot of trouble. She skips school or refuses to eat a meal or won't speak to anyone for days. Then other times she'll be placed in a home that seems to enjoy her, but that she doesn't respond to and she gets upset because she can't seem to get what she wants or needs out of the parents and she grows despondent. Some kids are independent and adapt well and some kids latch onto the first adult ever to give them any love and are happy forever. Rachel is independent, but needs attention. I've had foster parents tell me that dealing with her can just be too much sometimes."

"God that's got to be hard," Shelby said. "I guess it's not something I've ever really thought about. Being thrown into a new home would be so hard as it is, but then not liking it or realizing you weren't liked would be even harder. That poor baby." Shelby looked through the mirrors again and saw Rachel drinking her milk and then wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

Leroy smirked. "Don't be completely fooled. That poor baby is not a hapless victim. She could work harder too, but that's tough to explain to a seven-year-old who doesn't get why time and again the parents aren't right for her. She's been in five different foster homes in her nearly eight years, not including the time spent in the hospital and group homes."

"What will happen to her now?"

"I'll take her home and explain what happened," Leroy said. "Then I'll go to my office and start trying to find a new place for her to go. This might be the last straw, I think. And I'd hate to have to send her back to a group home, but that might be where she's headed for the time being."

"Are they that bad?" Shelby asked.

"Not really," Leroy said. "But they're not perfect. A kid like Rachel needs individual attention. She needs hugs and for someone to listen to her. I'm afraid she hasn't gotten any of that in her current placement."

"They wouldn't hug her?" Shelby asked.

"People are funny," Leroy said. "Some people liked to be touched and some people have a constant bubble. Rachel craves physical affection almost as much as she craves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." Leroy laughed. "And trust me, that's a lot. Many people take it the wrong way when told this, but Rachel likes to be touched. She wants to be hugged and held and for there to be closeness. That scares a lot of people who are afraid of getting too close for fear of some kind of accusation of wrong doing. But it's not like that. She just wants…"

"A parent," Shelby finished for him. "A mother."

"Right. And I think she's got an idealized version in her head which makes everything harder," Leroy said. "She is an avid reader and she talks in therapy sessions about stories with perfect mothers who give big hugs and why doesn't she have that. And unfortunately, there's not an answer to that question besides trying to find her someone to fill that spot. And the older she gets, the worse it's going to be, I'm afraid. She loses hope and becomes more cynical the older she gets."

Shelby's mind was reeling as she tried to come up with something she could do to help that girl, but nothing was coming to her. She could provide money, but to whom? She just knew that she didn't want to lose track of this kid, but she was certainly no foster parent.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Shelby asked.

"You've done so much by not pressing charges," Leroy answered. "I can't thank you enough."

"It's nothing," Shelby said. "I'll tell the officers out front. But can I talk to her for a few minutes first?"

"Umm, sure," Leroy said. "I don't see a problem with that."

"Thanks," Shelby said as she got to her feet.

"Before you go, I've got say that I'm a huge fan," Leroy said. "I didn't want to be all weird and stuff earlier, but I can't let you leave without telling you. I saw your last show four times. My husband and I just loved it."

Shelby smiled warmly and said, "Thank you so much. It was one of my favorite roles to play."

"You were amazing. Can I- Will you…?"

"Sure," Shelby smirked at him and how flustered he now was.

She walked to the printer in the corner and pulled out three pieces of paper. She quickly signed two for Leroy and his husband. The third she ripped in half and wrote her name and phone number on each piece.

"Can I give this to you in a purely professional sense?" Shelby asked. "If there's ever anything you need for Rachel, you can call me and let me know. And do you have a card I can have? I'd love to be able to check and see how she's doing from time to time if that's ok."

"Of course," Leroy said. He pulled a card for his pocket and handed it to her and took her number.

"Thank you. It was lovely meeting you," Shelby said. "And thank you for talking with me about her. There's just something about her I can't place."

"She's a special girl, even if she doesn't realize it yet," Leroy said. "I keep trying to assure her that the family meant just for her is out there somewhere."

"I'm sure it is," Shelby said. She turned to leave, but stopped herself. "Oh, before I go. What's her last name? If neither of her parents were known, what name was she given?"

"The note left saying her name should be Rachel was sitting on top of a Strawberry Shortcake doll," Leroy said. "One of the nurses called her Rachel Berry and it stuck. She still has the doll though she'd never admit it out loud. She also has a yellow blanket and a few other stuffed animals that mean the world to her. She keeps them hidden away when she's not at the house for fear that they won't be there when she gets back."

"Rachel Berry," Shelby said with a smile. Yep, it suited her.

Shelby knocked a couple times and then entered the room and looked at Rachel. The girl quickly sat up straight and gave Shelby a defiant stare. It was that woman's fault she was stuck in here, after all.

"Hello, Miss Rachel Berry," Shelby said. She took a seat in the same chair Leroy had used so she could sit close to the girl. "I'm Shelby Corcoran."

Rachel looked her up and down and didn't want to like her. And why was she smiling at her? She had no right to be smiling at her.

"It's nice to meet properly," Shelby said. "Did you enjoy your sandwich? You left some of the jelly on your face."

Rachel instinctively reached up and tried to wipe her face with her hand, but Shelby caught it and moved it out of the way. She picked up a napkin that had been packed in the paper bag and wiped Rachel's face for her. Rachel liked her immediately, even though she couldn't admit it. It just wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry I tried to steal your money," Rachel mumbled and looked down at her lap.

"I hope you won't ever try and steal anyone else's money," Shelby said. "It's a pretty naughty thing to do."

"I won't," Rachel said. Her fingers were crossed though. She'd stop stealing it as soon as she had enough for what she wanted. Then she promised never to steal again. But she needed this.

"Ok, good," Shelby said. "And listen, I wanted to tell you that you're going to get to leave here with Leroy in a few minutes. I'm not going to press any charges so you won't get in trouble with the police this time."

"Really?" Rachel asked. It was the first hint of a smile Shelby had seen from the girl.

"Really," Shelby confirmed. "But you've got to stay out of trouble. I'm going to be checking up on you and I don't want any bad reports."

"Why are you going to check up on me?" Rachel asked.

"Because I'd like to be your friend and as your friend, I want to know that you're doing ok," Shelby told her. "Is that ok? Can we be friends?"

"Yeah," Rachel nodded. She was enamored with this woman.

Leroy watched from the other side of the mirror as they talked. He smiled at how good Shelby was with her and he noticed a hope in Rachel's eyes he hadn't seen in a while. Part of him wished he'd had the microphones on so he could hear what they were talking about.

"I've got to go soon," Shelby said, "but I wanted to give you something. First of all, this is my phone number." She handed her the second half of the paper she'd ripped earlier. "If you ever need anything or if you're hungry again and don't have any money, call me and I will come and get you. Call me before you steal anything else, ok? We'll go out and have a meal."

"You promise?" Rachel asked with wide eyes.

"I promise," Shelby said. "And here, take this." Shelby pulled a twenty dollar bill from her wallet and folded it in half for Rachel. "Leroy said your birthday is in a couple days, so happy birthday. Take this and keep it and be a good girl and don't steal anymore."

"Wow," Rachel breathed out as she looked at the money in her hand. It got her that much closer to her goal.

Shelby smiled at the girl and moved some of the wild hair from her face. She thought back to what Leroy had said a few minutes ago and then looked at the girl seriously.

"Rachel? Do you think I could have a hug?" Shelby asked. "I'd love to have a hug from you."

Rachel looked up at her and her eyes shone and she nodded and got to her feet. She wrapped her arms around Shelby's neck and smiled when the woman held her close. Leroy's eyes were swimming with tears as she watched the famous star hold the young orphan. Rachel was very special to him and he longed to find her a home that fit her. This gesture from Shelby Corcoran was one of the nicest ones given to the girl in a long time.

"Thank you," Shelby said to Rachel as they separated.

"You're welcome," Rachel said.

Shelby helped Rachel fold the money and her phone number and put them in the pocket of the girl's worn, dirty jeans. They exchanged goodbyes and Rachel watched reluctantly as Shelby left the room. She said goodbye to Leroy and then explained to the officers that there would be no charges. They accepted her decision easily and even delighted at the paperwork load being lifted. Leroy and Rachel left not long after that.

As Shelby turned the key to her door to get into her lavish apartment that evening she couldn't help but marvel at how the day had gone. This day marked the anniversary of one of the greatest losses of her life and yet a little girl had stepped in and somehow now occupied a small portion of that hole. Who was this kid and why did she touch her so?

Three weeks later, Shelby was startled awake by the ringing of her cell phone. She reached for it in the dark and finally grabbed it so she could see who was calling her in the middle of the night. It was ten after one in the morning, the phone told her. Shelby didn't recognize the number, but answered it anyway. If she didn't it would just keep ringing.

"Hello," Shelby said, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Shelby Corcoran?" a tiny, scared voice said on the other end.

Shelby's eyes opened wide and she sat up in bed. Her mind was clear and her sleep forgotten.

"Rachel Berry?"

"Can you come and get me?"

**A/N – That's all for this chapter. What did you guys think? Any ideas about it? Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. I'm excited for your feedback. **

**Also, I'm working on the next chapter of She's Always Been Right There as well. I'm getting there, guys. Thanks! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – Here's the next chapter! Thank you all so much for all of the reviews and messages and likes and follows and what not. I really appreciate it. It made my day to see that everyone seemed to enjoy it. I hope you all like this chapter just as much. I can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks, guys! **

**Disclaimer – I don't own Glee. **

The dazed sleepiness was immediately shaken off when Shelby heard the little girl ask for her to go and get her. She glanced over at her clock and confirmed that it was a little after one in the morning. What the hell was this little girl doing out so late? Shelby got out of bed and pulled on the jeans she'd worn the day before.

"Rachel, where are you?" Shelby asked.

"In the park," Rachel answered. "Near where we met. A lady let me use her phone so I could call someone to come and get me."

"What are you doing out so late?" Shelby asked.

"I don't know," Rachel said.

"Why don't you go back home?" Shelby asked another question.

"I can't," Rachel said. "They're not there anyway."

"Where are they?" Shelby had finished getting dressed and reached for her shoes and carried them out to the living room.

"I didn't mean to," Rachel said quietly.

"Mean to what?" Shelby asked. She wrapped a scarf around her neck and then pulled on a heavy coat and a hat. She started for the door and then stopped when she remembered how Rachel was dressed the last time she saw her. They'd had a recent early January snowstorm and she'd be freezing if she was out there in just that thin windbreaker right now. She turned back to the closet and grabbed another jacket and another hat and a pair of mittens. "Rachel?"

"Brandon got hurt," Rachel said.

"Who is Brandon?" Shelby asked as she left her apartment.

"He's just little," Rachel said. "I don't think he understood."

"Rachel, what are you talking about?" Shelby asked as she hailed a cab.

"I gotta go," Rachel said suddenly.

"No," Shelby said. "Stay on the phone with me." She gave instructions to the cab driver to get her there as quickly as possible.

"I can't," Rachel said. "It's beeping."

"Stay right where you are," Shelby said. "I'm on the-" the link clicked dead- "way." Shelby lowered the phone from her ear and stared at it for a second before turning her attention to the driver. "Please hurry."

After leaving instructions for the cab to wait, Shelby hurried into the park to reach the place she'd been sitting just a couple of weeks ago. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally saw Rachel sitting on the bench she'd occupied and talking with a woman. Shelby assumed it was the woman who had lent the girl her phone. And just as she suspected, Rachel didn't have on anymore than the windbreaker and dirty jeans and worn shoes.

"Rachel," Shelby called out as she got close.

Rachel and the woman next to her looked up as Shelby came jogging up to them. She knelt down in front of the Rachel and put the extra hat over her head.

"Rachel, are you ok?" Shelby asked. The girl was freezing.

"I saw her out here walking all by herself and I didn't want to leave her alone," the woman sitting with Rachel said. "She said she was fine, but I told her she either had to call her mom or I was going to take her to the police."

"Thank you," Shelby said sincerely. She was working some mittens onto Rachel's hands.

"It's no problem," the woman said. "My phone went dead though so that's why she hung up. She's too little to be out here by herself at night. You should keep better track of her."

It took Shelby a second to realize the woman thought she was Rachel's mother. She glanced over at Rachel who had kept her eyes down the whole time and then back at the lady on the bench.

"You're right," Shelby said. "She was with a friend tonight, but I promise it won't happen again." She was glad this woman didn't recognize her in the dim light of the park. "Thank you very much. Can I give you something? Please?"

"Nah, don't worry about it," the woman waved her off as Shelby reached for her wallet. "I like to take walks this late. I was on my way home when I saw her."

"Thanks for staying with her," Shelby said. "Come on, Rachel, let's go home."

"You listen to your mama, Rachel," the woman said when Rachel stood up and turned to her.

"I will," Rachel agreed. She liked being able to pretend, even if it was just for a little bit, that she really had a mama. It wasn't lost on her that Shelby was playing along too. Rachel didn't know much about Shelby, but she knew about parents and she was pretty certain that every parent she'd ever lived with wouldn't have come to get her in the middle of the night unless they had to. Shelby didn't have to.

"Thank you," Rachel added softly. She stood still as Shelby wrapped the jacket that was way too big around her shoulders.

"You're welcome. No go on and get warm."

"Alright, young lady, let's go home," Shelby said.

Rachel smiled when Shelby took her hand and led her down the path to where the cab was waiting. The car was warm and inviting and Rachel let Shelby buckle her seat belt for her and stayed silent as the woman gave the driver the information for her apartment. Shelby knew she was going to have to call Leroy right away, but that could wait until after she'd gotten the child out of the cold.

Rachel looked up in awe when the cab pulled up in front of the large high-rise building. She was going to get out on the street side when Shelby made her wait so she could pay. Rachel's eyes focused on the designer wallet Shelby pulled from her purse and the large sum of money she handed over to the driver. There were still more bills in there when Shelby closed it and put it away. Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen so much money at one time in her life.

"Come on, sweetheart," Shelby said.

Rachel grasped onto her hand again when they got out of the car and Shelby led her into the building. When they reached the elevator, Rachel reached out excitedly to push the button, but then quickly retracted her hand.

"Go ahead," Shelby said with a smile.

Rachel was fascinated by elevators and whenever she had to go to Leroy's office building, she tried to play in them. He'd usually indulge her for a time or two and they would ride up and down a couple of times before he made them get out. Like any kid, Rachel loved to push the buttons.

"Seventeen, please," Shelby said when they stepped inside.

Rachel smiled as she reached out to push it and the elevator started to move. Shelby let her in first when they reached the apartment and Rachel's eyes bulged again. She'd never seen anything like this. It was huge. And there were stairs. She'd never seen an apartment like this.

"You live here?" Rachel asked.

"Yep," Shelby said. "Come on in. Are you hungry?"

Shelby removed her own jacket and hat and then took them off of Rachel as well. She was finally able to get a good look at her in the light and Shelby could tell the girl hadn't had a bath in days. Her hair was matted and greasy and there was dirt on her face and hands, not to mention her clothes. She did not understand why the family she lived with would let her go without bathing and why they wouldn't wash her clothes.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "I didn't get to have my sandwich earlier because Brandon ate some of it." She seemed to realize what she said and looked up at Shelby with a scared expression. "I didn't give it to him, I swear. He found it."

"What happened?" Shelby asked, though she was beginning to understand.

"Leroy gave me my sandwich and I saved half of it because I wanted to have some for later," Rachel said. "I always hide it real good, but Brandon found it and ate it. He can't have peanuts. They had to take him to the hospital. They were so mad so I knew I had to leave. But I forgot my stuff."

Rachel started to tear up and looked at Shelby with such sadness.

"What did you forget?"

"My blanket and my animals and my doll," Rachel said alluding to her collection of worn stuffed animals. She'd also left all of her money she'd been stealing, but that was secondary to her blanket and friends. Her sorrow was quite real at having had to leave them behind.

"You'll get them back," Shelby said. "Ok? I promise."

"They're not going to let me live there anymore," Rachel told her. "Not after this."

"It wasn't your fault if he took the sandwich from you," Shelby said.

"But I'm not allowed to have them in the house," Rachel explained. "And he's only four and they like him a lot better than me."

"Honey, I'm so sorry," Shelby said. "It'll be ok."

"That's what Leroy always says," Rachel said. "But I know it's not true. It never is."

Rachel's eyes filled with tears as her reality seemed to hit her. It didn't help that it was the middle of the night and she was tired and hungry and scared. She'd stopped believing long ago that it would ever get better or be ok.

"Don't cry, Rachel," Shelby said. Shelby pulled Rachel close and held her in a tight hug. "I'll call Leroy and we'll figure it out."

"He's going to have to send me away again," Rachel said. "Back to the group home."

Shelby wanted to soothe her fears, but she didn't know what to say. All she knew for certain was that this little scamp of a girl had worked her way into her heart and she did not want to let her go.

Rachel's arms were wrapped tightly around Shelby's waist and she hung on like her life depended on it. She didn't understand why this woman was so nice to her, but right now she didn't care. Her young mind was already entranced with the idea of getting to live with Shelby and be her daughter, but there was also a pragmatic side to her brain that was telling her to get real. No one like Shelby would ever love her, even if she was getting a hug right now. Rachel knew the woman would call Leroy and she'd probably never see her again after tonight. But for right now, she would pretend, just like she had done in the park. There was no harm in pretending she had a mother, even if she knew it would be never be true.

Shelby eventually ended the hug and moved Rachel into the kitchen and had her sit at the table.

"Do you want peanut butter and jelly or something different?" Shelby asked.

"Peanut butter and jelly," Rachel answered. "But only if you have grape jelly. I don't like any other kind."

"I've got some," Shelby told her. "Grape is my favorite too."

Rachel smiled at that and never took her eyes off of Shelby as the woman prepared the sandwich. Shelby noticed the girl watching her and winked at her before setting the sandwich and a glass of milk down on the table.

"Stay here and eat up," Shelby instructed.

"Ok," Rachel said around a mouthful of her sandwich.

Shelby picked up her cell phone and grabbed her purse and headed into another room so she could call Leroy. The phone rang seven times before it was picked up.

"Hello?" came the sleepy reply on the other end.

"Leroy Carter?" Shelby asked.

"Yes?"

"This is Shelby Corcoran. I've got Rachel Berry at my house."

"What?" Leroy said as he shot up from his bed. His husband rolled over and continued to sleep.

Shelby quickly relayed the story from her own phone call to Brandon being in the hospital to Rachel eating her own peanut butter and jelly sandwich at that moment.

"Thank you for going to get her," Leroy said. "I've got to get in touch with the O'Connors and find out what's going on," he said alluding to Rachel's foster parents. "And depending on what they say, I've got to find an emergency placement for her. I'll be by to get her soon."

Leroy knew this would be easier said than done. He was worried about her having to go to a group home because Rachel never did well there.

"She can stay here for the night," Shelby blurted out. "I've got plenty of room and it's so late and I think I can get her to sleep soon. After a bath, of course."

Leroy chuckled and said, "Good luck with that. She hates having a bath."

"Is that why it looks like she hasn't had one in about four or five days?" Shelby asked

"Some people find it easier not to battle with her," Leroy said.

"Not to bother with her, you mean," Shelby said seriously.

"Yeah," Leroy said with a sigh. "Are you sure you want her for the night?"

"Absolutely," Shelby said. "Leave her here where she's safe and looked after for tonight while you figure everything else out."

"Thank you," Leroy said sincerely. "I will give you a call in the morning."

"Ok, Shelby said. "Sounds perfect."

"Ok. Can I talk to Rachel real quick?" Leroy asked.

"Yeah, of course."

Shelby carried the phone into the kitchen just in time to see Rachel wipe the milk from her lips and chin with her sleeve. Yes sir, that child was getting a bath and those clothes were going to be washed tonight.

"Rachel, Leroy wants to talk to you," Shelby said.

Rachel sighed as Shelby handed her the phone. "Hello," she said with slumped shoulders and a pout on her lips.

Shelby watched as Rachel's posture changed and her eyes lit up as she was listening to Leroy talk.

"I will," Rachel promised into the phone. She listened for a minute and then said, "Ok. I won't." Shelby couldn't help but be amused by the whine in her tone because she assumed Leroy was telling her not to misbehave. "Bye."

Rachel handed the phone back to Shelby and looked up at her in awe.

"I really get to stay here with you tonight?"

"Yes, ma'am," Shelby said. She couldn't help but feel proud when Rachel's smile lit the room. She was happy to have been able to put that smile on her face.

"And it is late," Shelby continued, "so you are going to have a quick bath and then you are getting into bed."

Just as quickly as it appeared, Rachel's smile vanished.

"I don't need a bath," the little girl assured Shelby.

"Yes you do, honey," Shelby said. "Just wash up really quick and wash your hair and you'll be out of there."

"But I'd have to put dirty clothes back on," Rachel argued. "Besides, I took a bath this morning."

Shelby just gave her a look at the obvious lie and Rachel blinked and looked away.

"I'm going to wash your clothes," Shelby told her. "I'll give you something to wear to sleep in and you can put your clothes back on in the morning. So come on, I'll show you to the bathroom and start the water for you."

"But I don't want to," Rachel whined. "I never take baths at night. I can't sleep if I do."

"Rachel, you're taking a bath tonight," Shelby said. She wasn't quite sure where this instinct was coming from because she'd never really had much to do with children, but despite barely knowing the girl, she felt comfortable around Rachel. She felt responsible for her and she refused to be like those other adults who wouldn't bother with her because she was hard work.

"No, I don't need one," Rachel whined and stamped her foot. She was used to getting her way on this issue.

"You do," Shelby said. "Why don't you like to take baths?"

"They take too long," Rachel said.

Shelby had to stifle a laugh at Rachel's excuse. She was grasping at straws.

"Well, we will make this one very quick," Shelby said. "Come on."

Shelby reached down and picked the small girl up and put her arms under her bottom to support her. Rachel was light and little and Shelby held her with ease. Rachel put an arm around Shelby's neck and couldn't help but smile. Most people stayed away from her when she was so dirty so she couldn't believe this woman had just picked her up, messy clothes and all.

Shelby carried Rachel all the way into the large bathroom that connected to the master bedroom and set her down. Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen a bathroom like this one before. The bathtub was huge and there was so much counter space that Rachel could probably lay down on it if she wanted to. There was a separate shower that looked like it was big enough for ten people and the toilet was in its own little room over in the corner. Shelby hadn't even really considered using one of her the other bathrooms in the apartment because right now this was the only one with soap and shampoo in it.

"Ok, little miss, you get undressed and I will start the water," Shelby said. "Do you need any help?"

"No," Rachel muttered as she sat down on the floor and started to untie her shoes.

Shelby leaned over the tub and turned the water on and waited until it was warm before closing the drain and letting it start to fill.

"Ok, I'm going to go and find you something to wear," Shelby said. "The water's warm so let it fill for a minute and then turn it off. There's soap and shampoo right there and those are fresh towels."

"I still don't think I need one," Rachel said.

"Rachel," Shelby said in a tone even she didn't recognize. God, she sounded like her mother. Where did that come from?

"Fine," the girl pouted.

"It doesn't have to take forever," Shelby said. "Hop in and get clean and hop out."

Shelby closed the door behind her when she left and Rachel looked at the tub filling with water and scrunched up her nose. What was so great about having a bath anyways? People never wanted to be near her anyway and at least if she was dirty, she could tell herself that was why. But Shelby had hugged her and picked her up while she was dirty. But it's not like that mattered because she was leaving in the morning and was never going to be allowed to come back. She may as well just stay dirty.

Rachel looked around and decided that there were much more interesting things to do in this bathroom anyways. She got down on her knees on the floor and opened up the cabinet and started snooping around. She wasn't paying any attention to the fact that the water was still running.

Shelby stepped into her room and took off her shoes and socks and quickly slipped into a pair of yoga pants so she would be more comfortable. She then went to one of the drawers and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of cut-off sweats. They were cut off below the knee capris style for her so they would work as pants for Rachel. They might even be too long for the girl. But the real reason Shelby picked them was because of the drawstring in the waist. Hopefully she could make them tight enough for Rachel.

Shelby put the clothes on the bed and looked at the bathroom door and furrowed her brow. The water hadn't been shut off yet.

"Rachel?" Shelby knocked a couple of times. "Honey, are you ok?"

When she got no answer, Shelby pushed the door open and saw that Rachel was still fully clothed except for her shoes and was sitting on the countertop on her knees going through the medicine cabinet. She had stuff pulled out and everywhere and the bathtub was extremely close to overflowing.

Shelby went to the tub and stopped the water and opened the drain so the water could go down. It was only then that Rachel looked up and watched as Shelby surveyed what had been done to her bathroom. How had the little girl even done all of this in such a short amount of time?

Rachel had removed everything from under the sink. She'd created a pyramid in the corner with the extra toilet paper rolls. The cleaning supplies were pushed out of the way and a full box of tampons had been scattered everywhere. On the counter were four bottles of perfume that had cost way too much, but that Shelby loved. According to the odor in the air, Rachel had tried them all out a few times. All of her makeup was on the counter and each small container opened. Rachel had dipped her fingers in some of it because there were little multi-colored fingerprints littering the counter and the mirror, and some of it was smeared on her face. Rachel was holding a prescription pill bottle in each hand and looking at Shelby with wide eyes.

"Rachel," Shelby said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry," the girl said softly.

Shelby put her hands on her hips and raised her brow at the girl. "The bathroom is not a place to play unless you are in the bathtub and playing during your bath. Which is exactly where you are supposed to be, except there will be no playing. It's too late.

"I'm not ever allowed to play in the bath," Rachel said matter-of-factly. She missed the look of sympathy that crossed Shelby's features. "Can't I just take a bath some other time? I don't want to right now," Rachel whined. Her tiredness was starting to get the best of her.

"No. You are going to take one right now and I'm going to help you," Shelby said.

Shelby closed the drain again and checked to make sure the water was still warm. Then she turned and picked up Rachel around the waist and sat down on the closed toilet seat and set the girl on her feet.

"I don't need any help," Rachel said. "I can do it."

"I know you probably can, but I'm going to help you since you don't want it to take forever. And you need to get to bed," Shelby said. "If you had just gotten in the bath like you were supposed to, you could be almost done by now."

While she was talking, Shelby unzipped Rachel's light windbreaker and took it off. Her shirt was next followed by her jeans and panties and socks. She made a pile of the clothes and then lifted Rachel up and into the waiting water. Rachel sat down and refused to admit that the warm water felt nice. Shelby grabbed a towel and folded it a few times to give her something to kneel on and then picked up a washcloth and got down on her knees next to the tub and dipped it in to get it wet. She didn't think she'd ever seen anything as adorable as Rachel's pout.

"Can you duck your head under the water to get your hair wet or would you rather I get a cup and get it wet that way?" Shelby asked.

Rachel didn't say anything and instead just took a breath and slipped down under the water and came back up with her hair slicked back. Despite her protests, Rachel stayed still while Shelby put shampoo in her hair and lathered it up. She closed her eyes as Shelby massaged her scalp and made sure to cover every inch of Rachel's hair so she could be thorough. Rachel couldn't even really remember the last time someone had washed her hair for her.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to need a cup to rinse your hair off," Shelby said. "Can you sit tight and not move for just one minute until I get back?"

"Yeah," Rachel answered.

"I mean it," Shelby said. "Don't move and don't mess with anything else."

"I won't," Rachel said.

Shelby gave her a skeptical look, but finally nodded and got to her feet and quickly made her way out of the room. She found a large plastic cup in the kitchen with an NYU logo on and it hurried back to the bathroom. God knows she didn't want Rachel getting out and traipsing water everywhere.

Shelby was about to enter the room when she heard Rachel talking quietly to herself. She stayed back a bit and peeked in and smiled when she saw Rachel playing. The girl was using two fingers to walk along the edge of the tub and Shelby heard her say that it was a lovely day for a swim. The finger person soon jumped high into the air and splashed down in the water and Rachel laughed as the finger person swam back to the edge to get out and go again. She didn't even notice the shampoo starting to slide down her face.

"I'm back," Shelby announced. She didn't want Rachel to think she had been watching. It made her sad to see girl immediately stop her game and put her hands back in the water.

Shelby kneeled back down on her folded towel and picked up the wet washcloth and gently wiped it over Rachel's face to get rid of the shampoo so it wouldn't get in her eyes. She filled the cup with water and instructed Rachel to shut her eyes tightly as she rinsed the girl's hair. She repeated the process with conditioner, much to Rachel's chagrin.

"You've already washed it," Rachel complained.

"This will help make your hair soft and easier to brush out," Shelby said.

"I don't like to brush it," Rachel said.

"I noticed," Shelby told her. "Stop squirming please."

Rachel splashed some water with her foot which Shelby assumed was the equivalent of stamping her foot on the floor. Shelby watched as the girl yawned deeply and put her scowl right back in place when she was finished. Rachel wasn't even mad about the conditioner anymore, but she hated that she was so tired. The warm water and hands in her hair was so relaxing, but she was determined not to be tired.

Shelby scrunched her nose up at the water after she finished rinsing the conditioner from Rachel's hair. They might need some cleaner water to wash in. Or at least to rinse in. Shelby picked the washcloth and squirted a few drops of body soap into it and lathered it up.

"Ok, stand up for me," Shelby said.

Rachel stood and watched as Shelby opened the drain so some of the dirty water could drain out. While the water was going down, she started to wash Rachel's body thoroughly. She got all of the makeup and dirt smudges from Rachel's hands and face. She wasn't sure when the last time the girl had cleaned herself and so Shelby made sure to do a good job. When the water had drained out completely, Shelby started it again and let some fresh, warm water run. When she felt the girl had been lathered and scrubbed completely, Shelby held the cup under the steady stream of warm water and filled it before dumping it on the girl to rinse her off. It took several times to make sure all of the soap was gone, but Rachel was finally cleaned and rinsed and ready to get out.

Shelby lifted her from the tub and set her on the bathmat and quickly grabbed a large towel and wrapped it around the now shivering girl.

"Now… Don't you feel better?" Shelby asked as she worked to dry Rachel off.

Rachel shrugged as Shelby turned her and continued to dry her off. Shelby just smirked at her.

"What're these?" Rachel asked as she bent over and picked up one of the tampons that she'd left scattered on the floor.

"Umm, nothing," Shelby said.

"Then why do you have them? What do they do?" Rachel turned her curious expression towards Shelby.

"They, uhh… They're for when you need… to… Let's not worry about that tonight," Shelby finally settled on. "It's much too late right now for that."

"But, can I see what it looks like?" Rachel asked as she started to tear the wrapper open.

"No," Shelby said. "No. I… no."

Shelby took Rachel's hand and got her to drop the tampon back to the ground and then quickly tightened the towel around her tiny shoulders and picked the girl up and carried her from the bathroom. She took another few moments to make sure Rachel was completely dry and then took the towel off of her and laid it on the bed.

"Here, I've got a t-shirt and a pair of pants for you to wear," Shelby said as she slipped the t-shirt over the girl's head. It hung down to Rachel's knees.

"But I don't have any panties," Rachel told her.

"I know," Shelby said. "I'm going to wash yours tonight so you can put them back on in the morning. I'm afraid for tonight you're just going to have to go without."

"Oh," Rachel said. She held the shirt up as Shelby pulled the pants up for her. "They're too big."

"I know," Shelby said, "but I hope I can tie the drawstring tight enough for you. Or if you'd rather, you can sleep without them. I just wanted you to be comfortable."

Shelby tied the pants as tight as she could and they held on Rachel's waist, barely. One gentle tug or wrong movement and they would fall, but for now they would work.

"I like them," Rachel said. "I normally sleep in just a shirt, but since I'm not going to bed right now-"

"Oh you're going to bed," Shelby cut her off. "It is late and I know you're tired."

"I'm not tired though," Rachel said, but a yawn betrayed her. "I can't go to sleep."

"Honey, it's in the middle of the night," Shelby said. "You should have been asleep hours ago."

Rachel shook her head and tears formed in her eyes as Shelby worked to dry her hair with the towel.

"But I'm not tired," Rachel said. "I can't."

Shelby put the towel back on the bed and pulled Rachel to her and held her in a tight hug. Rachel rested her head on Shelby's shoulder and looked around the room. She noticed Shelby's purse tossed aside in a chair. And the woman's jeans were on the floor where she had left them when she changed. Rachel shut her eyes for a second and let herself relax in a way that she hadn't in a long time. This was the first time in a while where she didn't feel like she had to keep her guard up. And that's why she couldn't go to sleep. She knew Leroy was coming to get her in the morning and that she'd never see Shelby again because she understood that she was probably going back to the group home. She didn't want to go to sleep and miss getting to spend time with the woman who had given her more attention and care than she'd had from a foster parent in years.

Another worry gripped at Rachel. The group home was farther from the city and if she was sent all the way out there, she'd never get her goal. All the money she'd been stealing would be wasted. Why couldn't Brandon have just left her sandwich alone?

Tears made their way down Rachel's cheeks and Shelby cooed and rubbed her back to try and soothe her. This poor child needed to get into bed soon so she could get some rest.

"Come on, honey," Shelby said. "I'm going to brush your hair out and I've got a brand new toothbrush you can use."

"Will you wake me up in the morning before I leave?" Rachel hiccupped through her tears.

"Of course I will," Shelby said. "We'll have breakfast together. I promise."

"Ok," Rachel nodded.

"Good girl," Shelby said. "Come on and I'll brush your hair out."

Back in the bathroom, Shelby sat on the closed toilet seat lid and had Rachel sit on her lap while she brushed her still damp hair. She didn't want to take the time to dry it completely and figured that it would be ok tonight. It wasn't soaking wet.

Rachel sat perfectly still and smiled as Shelby brushed out her hair. Her hair was rarely brushed out. Even when she washed it, she just let it dry in tangles. She loved everything about this; she loved sitting on Shelby's lap and feeling her hair being worked through. She even loved the clean feeling that had come with the bath. It made it that much harder to know that none of this would last. Rachel felt like she was in some kind of fairy tale, but she wasn't dumb and she knew that fairy tales weren't real.

When Shelby was finished with her hair, she got Rachel the extra toothbrush and instructed her to brush her teeth and use the bathroom before bed. While Rachel was doing that, Shelby grabbed the girl's dirty clothes and some of her own to make a full load and took them to the laundry room and started the machine. She knew she would wait up for them to be finished so she could put them in the dryer before she went to bed so the sooner they started to wash, the sooner they'd be done. Her plan had been to put them in the wash while Rachel was bathing, but Rachel had changed that when she messed up the bathroom and Shelby had to bathe her. Oh crap, the bathroom. Shelby needed to clean that up before she went to bed too. Great.

Shelby got back to her room just as Rachel was walking out of the bathroom, holding up the pants as she walked. It took Shelby a second to realize that Rachel was crying again. But it wasn't like before. This was serious despair crying.

"Rachel? What's wrong?" Shelby asked as she went to her and squatted down in front of the girl.

"I can't- I don't have my blanket and my doll and animals," Rachel wailed. "I can't sleep without them. I have to go get them. What if Mrs. O'Connor throws them away?"

This was a deep and ingrained worry that had followed Rachel to every foster home and group home she went to. She loved her blanket and stuffed friends more than anything in the world and she couldn't deal with the thought of losing them. They were her only friends.

"Rachel, calm down," Shelby said and the girl looked directly into her eyes. "I promised you before that you will get them back and I'm promising again. Mrs. O'Connor will not throw them away."

"But what if she does?"

"She won't," Shelby said. "I promise." God help that woman if she did anything to Rachel's stuff.

"I've never been without them," Rachel said sadly. "They need me. I need them."

"I know," Shelby said. "I'm so sorry we can't go and get them tonight. I would if I could."

Rachel sniffled and nodded and rubbed her eyes. She believed Shelby and that was a comfort in and of itself. She believed her when she said she would get her blanket and friends back tomorrow and that allowed her to calm down. Her exhaustion was taking over rapidly and another yawn escaped through her waning tears.

"You know what though?" Shelby asked. "I've got a stuffed monkey who doesn't have anyone to sleep with tonight. Maybe he could lay down with you, if that'd be ok."

"What's his name?" Rachel asked.

Shelby paused and thought for a second. He didn't have a name. She had purchased a bunch of stuffed animals for Toys for Tots a couple years ago and he never made it to the shipment. Shelby was going to take him later, but had kind of grown attached to him and left him on the bed in one of her spare rooms. The very room she was putting Rachel in, Shelby thought with a smile when she realized it.

"He doesn't have a name yet," Shelby said. "He's been waiting for just the right person to come along and give him the perfect name. Do you think you could name him for me?"

"Yeah," Rachel said as she wiped the last of her tears from her face.

"Great. Let's go meet him."

Shelby took her hand and led her down the hall and opened the door to one of the spare bedrooms and flipped on the light. Rachel ran to the bed when she saw the monkey siting there like he'd been waiting specifically for her.

"Toby," Rachel said. "His name is Toby."

"It's perfect," Shelby said. She had to admit, now that she'd heard it, he really did look like a Toby.

Shelby pulled the covers back and Rachel looked up at her with a lopsided grin and let the pants fall to the floor and stepped out of them so that she was just in the long t-shirt. Shelby bent down and gave Rachel a hug that the girl happily reciprocated. Rachel chanced giving her a kiss on the cheek and beamed when Shelby kissed her forehead in return before letting her go.

"Goodnight, Rachel. I'm just down the hall if you need me. I'll leave my door open. There's a bathroom across the hall from you and I'll turn the light on in there and leave it on for you."

"Ok," Rachel said with droopy eyes as she settled under the blankets and clutched Toby to her. She was asleep in less than a minute.

Shelby stood over the bed and felt her chin trembling as she watched the tiny girl. She loved her. It hadn't even taken two hours and Shelby loved her. How was she supposed to just let her walk away in the morning when Leroy got there? The little imp was perfect. And the more time she spent with her, the more Rachel reminded her of someone. If she could sign the papers right now, Shelby knew that in this moment, she would keep that little girl forever.

Shelby tucked the blankets close to Rachel and smoothed them out over her. She couldn't stand there all night and think about what ifs. It wouldn't do either of them any good. Instead, Shelby went back to her bathroom and made quick work of cleaning up the mess Rachel had made. Then she waited for the clothes to finish washing and tossed them in the dryer and turned it on. She wanted them to be ready for Rachel in the morning. She looked in on the girl one more time and found her still sleeping peacefully and then finally headed back to her own bed. It was close to four in the morning by the time Shelby crawled back under the covers.

The morning came way too early for Shelby, but she wanted to make sure she was up and showered and dressed before Rachel woke up. By ten they were both up and dressed and Rachel was enjoying a bowl of cereal while Shelby ate a bagel and drank her coffee. The mood was somber because Leroy had called and said he would be there within the hour.

Rachel's mind was far away as she worried over what was going to happen and what she was going to do. She wanted to stay more than anything, but she knew she couldn't. And this might be the last time she got this chance and if she got it now, she'd never have to do it again.

"Can I use the bathroom?" Rachel asked.

"Of course," Shelby answered.

"Can I use the one in your room?"

"Yes… as long as you promise not to make a mess," Shelby said.

"I promise," Rachel told her as she got up from the table.

Rachel went into Shelby's room and didn't head towards the bathroom at all. She knew what she wanted, but stopped for a moment when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Shelby had brushed her hair out again this morning and she smiled when she realized that she liked how it looked when it was clean and brushed.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and went to the chair that held Shelby's purse. Rachel had watched her pay for the cab last night. She had seen all of the money that she had in the billfold. It was enough to help her get what she wanted and if she took it now she'd never have to steal from anyone again. She felt horrible, but she knew she'd be back in a group home soon and she had to get it now or she might never have another chance.

Rachel opened the purse and found the wallet and opened it and started to pull out the money. Just then someone reached around her and took her small hand full of money and held it in its own. Rachel gasped and turned and looked at the serious expression on Shelby's face. The stern focus of her eyes was unlike anything Rachel had seen the night before and she knew she'd made a huge mistake.

**A/N – That's it for this chapter! I hope you liked it. Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought. I've got this entire little journey planned out and I can't wait for you all to see it. Thanks so much! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – I have the next chapter for you guys. Thank you all so much for reading and for your reviews and messages and questions. I truly appreciate all of the feedback. I hope this chapter finds you all well and I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Glee. **

Rachel released the money in her hand and Shelby pulled her away from the purse and towards the center of the room. She looked down at the small girl and saw the worry and tears filling her eyes. Rachel was scared and ashamed, but she couldn't help but notice how soft Shelby's hands were. She wasn't rough and she didn't pull too hard or hold too tight.

"What are you doing?" Shelby asked.

"I'm sorry," Rachel cried. "I didn't mean to."

Shelby scoffed and sat down on the bench at the foot of her bed and made Rachel stand right in front of her.

"Clearly you meant to," Shelby said. "Otherwise you wouldn't have been doing it. Why are you trying to steal?"

"I need it," Rachel said with a sniffle.

"And what did I tell you when I caught you trying to steal from me the first time?" Shelby asked rhetorically. "If you needed something all you had to do was ask. Now I know you're not trying to take this because you're hungry. What do you need it for? Why have you been stealing from people?"

Rachel hung her head and looked away. She'd never told anyone why before even though she'd been asked multiple times. She knew people would laugh at her and call her silly and stupid. But she wasn't silly and stupid! It's not her fault they wouldn't get it.

"Rachel," Shelby prompted.

"I just need it," Rachel said, going back to her tried and true reason.

"No," Shelby said immediately. "I want the truth."

Shelby's voice was stern and her eyes unwavering and, besides for Leroy, Rachel had never met another person she was scared to disappoint. It hurt her enough to have to lie to Leroy every time she got caught.

"You're going to think I'm stupid," Rachel mumbled as she stared towards the floor.

Shelby softened her eyes some and reached her hand out and put it on Rachel's chin to make the girl look at her. The girl's dark eyes were displaying a vulnerability that Shelby had never seen from her. Rachel was trying to hold back tears as hard as she was trying to hold back the truth, but like that secret, they were about to spill over.

"Rachel, I promise that I'm not going to think you're stupid," Shelby said seriously.

Rachel studied Shelby's eyes for a few long moments and took a breath before finally revealing the truth she'd been hiding since her crime spree began a little over two months ago.

"Do you know what _Wicked_ is?" Rachel asked so quietly that Shelby wasn't sure she'd heard her right.

"_Wicked_?" Shelby asked to verify that's what the girl had said.

"Yeah," Rachel mumbled. "_Wicked_. It's this musical show on Broadway. Do you know what Broadway is?"

Shelby smiled, but bit down the chuckle that tried to escape since she wanted to remain serious for Rachel.

"Yes, I know what Broadway and _Wicked_ are," Shelby said. "What does _Wicked_ have to do with you stealing money?"

"I saw a commercial for it," Rachel said. "I want to see it, but I don't have any money. I just want to see it once and then I won't steal ever again, I promise." She was hurrying with her explanation. "I've never seen any musical show ever and _Wicked_ looked really magical when I saw the commercial and I have to see it. I've never stolen money before, but I need to see it. I know musical shows are magical. I hide in the library sometimes and the ladies let me listen to some of the CDs they have there."

Shelby certainly understood that need. And she, more than most, knew just how magical musicals are.

"Why didn't you ask your foster parents to take you to see it?" Shelby asked.

"When the commercial came on, they said how stupid it was and how they'd never waste money on something like that, so I couldn't ask," Rachel said.

"What about Leroy? I bet he would take you to see it," Shelby said.

"I didn't want to ask him because he always brings me sandwiches and stuff," Rachel said. "He's really busy and I know he's got more than just me to look after. I didn't think it was fair."

Shelby nodded and smiled sadly when the little girl showed an understanding far beyond her years.

"I snuck off to Times Square one time and found the theater to see how much it costs and it's a lot," Rachel said. "It was going to take me forever to get enough money. But then I saw all the money in your wallet when you paid for the cab and I thought there might be enough there and I could get it all from you and not have to steal from anyone else anymore. I'm sorry," her tears did start to fall now. "Pease don't hate me; I'm sorry."

"Shhh," Shelby soothed as she picked Rachel up and sat her on her lap. She hugged the girl and Rachel cried into her shoulder while Shelby rubbed her back. "I don't hate you."

"Really?" Rachel asked.

"Really," Shelby confirmed. "But stealing is wrong and I better not hear about you doing it anymore. I've a good mind to stick you in the corner right now," Shelby heard her mother's voice come out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said with another cry. "It was the only way I knew the get the money."

"How much do you have so far?" Shelby asked.

"Thirty-seven dollars," Rachel said sadly. "And that's including the money you gave me when we first met. Every time I get caught, I have to give back what I stole."

"Listen to me, young lady," Shelby said, "you are not to steal anymore."

"But I don't know how else to get the money'" Rachel said sadly.

"If you promise not to steal anymore, I promise that I will take you to see _Wicked_," Shelby said.

"But how?" Rachel asked. "As soon as Leroy gets here, I'm never going to see you again. I just know I'm going to have to go back to the group home."

Shelby was just as worried about this as Rachel was. What if she never saw her again? From everything Rachel and Leroy were saying, this group home sounded like the last place Rachel needed to be. How was she supposed to let Leroy just take her away?

"I promise that I'll take you to see it," Shelby said. "I will come to wherever you are and get you and take you to see _Wicked_. I swear. If you keep stealing you are going to end up in a lot of trouble and I don't want to see you get into a lot of trouble. Rachel, you are too good for that."

"I'm not good enough for anything," Rachel said as the tears glistened in her eyes and lined her cheeks.

"Yes you are, sweetheart," Shelby said and she hugged Rachel to her once more. "You are good enough."

Rachel held on to Shelby's neck in the hopes that if she was strong enough and held on tight enough, she'd never have to leave. Shelby rubbed Rachel's back and they sat together in silence for a few minutes so Rachel could calm down. Shelby was doing everything she could not to cry right along with the girl.

When Rachel's tears subsided, Shelby got up with the girl still in her arms and walked to the living room and set her down on the couch. Toby the monkey had been left there earlier while they were eating breakfast and Shelby handed him to Rachel and she pulled him close. Shelby went to the kitchen and got a damp wash cloth and a glass of juice and brought them back to Rachel. She washed the girl's face without any resistance and Rachel sipped on her juice before it was set on the coffee table. Shelby sat down next to her on the couch and Rachel instinctively curled into her side. The TV was turned on and Rachel picked a cartoon to watch, but Shelby didn't think either of them were paying any attention to it. They were both acutely aware of the fact that Leroy would be there soon. The anxiousness they both felt hung heavily in the air and that only served to heighten the guilt Rachel felt about trying to steal. She felt terrible about it and kept glancing up at Shelby out of the corner of her eye. She was looking for any signs of disappointment or anger on the woman's face. Shelby had said it was ok, but Rachel knew better.

Shelby knew she was being watched and she was doing her best to keep her features calm and appear strong and sure. Leroy would be there soon and she was getting more and more upset. She didn't want to let Rachel go; she wasn't sure if she could let her go. She had never felt so sure about anything in her life. It wasn't just that Rachel was a kid that Shelby felt sympathetic towards; it was so much deeper than that. She was drawn to Rachel in a way she didn't understand. She felt like if she let Rachel go, a part of her would be missing. Shelby already knew that she was going to do whatever was needed to become a foster parent. She was going to find a way to get her back.

The chiming of the doorbell broke both of them from their thoughts. Rachel's distressed eyes watched as Shelby got up to answer the door. She stayed back on the couch and hugged Toby and knew that she should stay out of the way. She knew Shelby was going to tell him about the stealing.

"Come in, please," Shelby greeted Leroy and led him into the apartment.

"Wow, this is a beautiful place," Leroy said as he looked around in awe.

"Thank you," Shelby said kindly.

Leroy nodded and then waved when he saw Rachel. "Hey, Rach."

"Hi," Rachel mumbled.

The girl reluctantly got up from the couch and made her way over to them. She wanted to cry or she wanted to hide; anything that would make it so she didn't have to leave and go to a group home. She settled for standing next to Shelby.

Leroy watched as Rachel stood as close to Shelby as possible. Shelby put a hand on her back and tried to offer as much comfort as possible. Whether Shelby realized it or not, Rachel did not display this demeanor with everyone. As sad as it was, Rachel had learned to keep her distance from most adults because she'd been hurt too many times in the past.

"How was your night?" Leroy asked. He leaned down to get at Rachel's eye level and waited for her answer. It was a trick he always used so the adult would know he wasn't asking them.

"It was fine," Rachel told him. "She made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She's got grape jelly just like you do. And then she made me take a bath," Rachel said with a labored sigh.

"She did?" Leroy chuckled and glanced up at Shelby.

Shelby smiled and rubbed Rachel's back lightly without thinking. It was as if the thought of breaking the contact was too much for her.

"Yeah. I kind of made a mess," Rachel confessed, "but she said it was ok and then helped me."

"You made a mess in the bath?" Leroy asked.

"Not while I was in the bathtub," Rachel said. "Before."

"She took a few minutes to explore the bathroom before her bath," Shelby explained. "But we got it and her cleaned up."

Leroy cleared his throat in a light reproach and Rachel gave him a sheepish smile.

"Then she made me go to bed 'cause she said it was so late, but I wasn't very tired," Rachel said. "And she gave me this monkey to sleep with since I didn't have any of my friends with me. I even got to name him and she said I could keep him."

"That's very nice of her," Leroy said.

"Are my other friends ok?" Rachel asked. "Have you been over there? She didn't throw my blanket or friends away, did she?"

"No, she didn't," Leroy answered. "I've already been there this morning. Rachel, we need to talk about what happened yesterday."

"Is Brandon ok?" Rachel asked sadly.

"He'll be fine," Leroy assured her. "Honey-"

"I have to leave, don't I?" Rachel asked knowingly.

"Yes, sweetheart, you do," Leroy told her gently.

"I didn't mean to hurt him," Rachel said as her eyes filled with tears.

"I know you didn't," Leroy said. "But they've decided that it's not a good fit for you to stay there any longer.

"I don't like the group home," Rachel said as her tears spilled over.

"I know you don't," Leroy said. "I'm going to do my best to get you into a home with a nice family as soon as possible."

Rachel hugged Toby close to her and leaned into Shelby's side. Leroy stood up to his full height and watched sadly as Shelby leaned down to coo that it would be alright. He hated the feeling that he could tell just by watching them that he'd found a parent for Rachel but that it would probably never happen. He'd never seen Rachel click with anyone like this and he'd known her since he was assigned to her the day she'd been abandoned as newborn.

"Rachel, why don't you go and play in the room you stayed in last night," Shelby encouraged.

Rachel nodded, but she continued to cry as she walked towards the hallway. She knew what the adults wanting to talk alone meant; Shelby was going to tell him about the attempted stealing and she'd never see her again. Leroy was going to be disappointed and mad at her. Despite all of her promises, she was certain Shelby wouldn't want to be around her again. This was turning out to be one of the worst days Rachel had had in a long time. Rachel got up on the bed and hugged her knees to her chest and clutched Toby tightly as her tears continued to fall.

Shelby waited until Rachel was all the way in the room and then motioned for Leroy to follow her into the kitchen.

"She's very taken with you," Leroy commented as Shelby handed him a cup of coffee.

"She's wonderful," Shelby said. "I – what's going to happen to her? I don't want to lose her. How can I foster her? What do I have to do to become her foster mother? What do I have to do to adopt her?"

"Are you serious?" Leroy asked.

"Yes of course," Shelby answered.

"It's not like taking care of a stray cat," Leroy began, but Shelby cut him off.

"I know that," she said. "I'm not stupid. I know how difficult it can be to care for a child and how much it changes everything to have a kid in your house. But I have thought about this; I've been thinking about this all night. This isn't some casual thing to me. I went out there and picked her up in the middle of the night from Central Park. Don't tell me I don't know how serious this is. That little girl is so special and I don't want to lose her. She doesn't deserve to be shoved off onto people who don't care about her or to some group home where she'll shut down."

"Whoa, I'm sorry," Leroy said and held his hands up to show he meant no harm. "We just get a lot of people who say they want to foster kids and then they give it up when they realize what it's actually like."

"I'll admit that I don't want to be a foster parent for all kids," Shelby said, "but I do for Rachel. There's something about her. She is so special and I love her. Already. I can't lose her. I can't explain it, but I know she is supposed to be in my life. I want her here with me."

"Well from everything I've seen, she likes it here as well," Leroy said. "And in my professional opinion, you are a wonderful match for her. But it takes more than deciding you want her. There's paperwork to be filled out and-"

"I understand all of that," Shelby said. "What do I need to fill out? Who do I need to talk to? What's the process for adoption?"

"Ok, you've got to slow down," Leroy said lightly. He was elated internally because he did not expect this, but he knew he had to stay level headed and do everything by the book. "It shouldn't be a problem to get you named as a temporary foster parent. The state would rather a child be placed in a home whenever possible. The group homes can become crowded and so the more placements the better. You'll have to fill out paperwork and they'll do a bit of a background check. They have to make sure you don't have a criminal record and stuff like that. And they'll look at your finances to make sure you can afford caring for a child. And of course the state would give you a monthly stipend."

"I wouldn't need that," Shelby said.

"Doesn't matter, you would get it," Leroy said.

Shelby nodded. Whatever, she'd just start a fund for Rachel.

"When can she be back here?" Shelby asked.

"Tonight, if all goes well," Leroy told her. "I can push it through. I would then be by in the next few days to conduct an official visit."

"That's fine," Shelby said. "Whatever we need to do."

Leroy nodded and then took a breath and knew he needed to say this even if it caused the woman to change her mind.

"Don't do this if you're not serious," Leroy said. "Don't get her hopes up because she's going to be crushed later if it doesn't work out. It would be better for her in the long run to go to a group home now then get even more attached to you than she already is, only to lose you later. And I know she is so special, but Rachel is not an easy child. But she is taken with you and it's not about celebrity or anything else because she doesn't know about any of that. But with your job and everything else you have going on, this can't be something that gets hard and that you give up on later."

"I would never do that," Shelby said. She felt as if she should be offended, but she wasn't. Leroy had been Rachel's protector for so long that she couldn't fault him for looking out for her now. "I can't explain it, but I know she is supposed to be in my life. I am supposed to take care of her. And yeah, there may be some things we have to deal with because of my job, but that's true of a lot of parents who adopt. Everyone has to deal with their parents' jobs. I would keep her out of the spotlight as much as I could, beyond the natural curiosity that would arise. But that shouldn't preclude me from being able to be a foster parent and to adopt."

"You're right," Leroy said. "And it wouldn't. But please, for the sake of us all, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves."

"Ok," Shelby agreed.

"Ok," Leroy nodded. "I'm going to have to take Rachel with me so she can help pack her stuff. I could do it for her, but she likes to check and make sure she hasn't forgotten anything. She gets attached to things and keeps a little collection. She'd be really upset if she realized something was missing."

"Alright," Shelby nodded. "When will she be back?"

"While we're gone, you can go to my office and fill out all of the paperwork," Leroy said. "I'll call down there so that they have everything ready for you when you arrive. There's a whole system in place for quick placements if it'll keep a child out of a group home and with foster parents."

"Sounds good," Shelby said. "You'll call me later?"

"Of course," Leroy answered. "As for now, let's not tell Rachel. I don't want to get her hopes until things are more solid."

"Ok," Shelby said. She was going to suggest the same thing.

The adults finished their coffee and then Leroy said that it was time to go. Shelby pointed him in the direction of the bedroom so he could get Rachel. He opened the door and stepped in the room and saw the girl sitting on the floor with Toby in her lap. Her eyes were hopeful when she looked up, but they changed when she saw that it was Leroy, and not Shelby, at the door.

"Come on, Rachel, it's time to go," Leroy said. He held his hand out for her to take and she held onto it sadly.

Shelby was waiting by the front door and Rachel kept her head bowed so she didn't have to look at her.

"Rachel, thank you for staying here with me last night," Shelby said when they reached her. "I'm so glad you called me."

"Thank you for picking me up and letting me stay," Rachel said dutifully.

Leroy dropped Rachel's hand and stepped away so they could have a little bit of privacy to say goodbye. Even though Shelby was going to do everything she could to get her, Leroy knew Rachel needed this right now. Shelby pulled out a chair from the table and sat down in front of Rachel so she would be at her height.

"It was my pleasure," Shelby told her. "I want you to be a good girl. Don't forget my promise."

"Do you still promise?" Rachel asked. She finally lifted her eyes and looked at Shelby's face.

"Of course I do," Shelby said. "Don't worry, ok? It's all going to work out."

Rachel didn't say anything to that and just shrugged like she knew it wasn't true. She wanted to still believe, but it was hard because she'd been told that so many times before.

"Here," Rachel said. She held up Toby for Shelby to take.

"No. He's yours, remember? I need you to take care of him for me. I know he'll be excited to meet your other friends."

"Thanks," Rachel said.

"Can I have a hug?" Shelby asked.

Rachel threw her arms around Shelby's neck and the woman hugged her tightly in return. Neither of them wanted to let go, but did so at Leroy's gentle insistence that it was time to go. Rachel started to cry as they were leaving and Shelby had to hold her own tears at bay. She waited only a few minutes before she went back to her bedroom to get ready to go out. She didn't want to waste any time getting down to Leroy's office.

Shelby had to spend a few hours in Leroy's office and she was assured that everything was in order before she left. She also spent time taking pictures and signing autographs for anyone who wanted them. Leroy had called to tell them she was coming, but they were all still a little shocked and star struck when she actually walked through the door.

Now Shelby was in her car driving to her parents' house a couple hours north and outside the city. She didn't drive at all in the city, but she loved getting out of there with her car. Her parents had a big country house and ten acres of land. They raised and boarded horses and Shelby and her brother had practically grown up on the animals.

She knew she had to tell her parents what was going on. She could have called, but this was a good way to pass the time because she was going to go crazy sitting around her house waiting for Leroy to call. Besides, it was a pretty drive because of the light blanket of snow still covering the ground. There was no sign of the dirty slush that littered the streets in Manhattan.

"Shelby," Eugene Corcoran greeted as he walked towards her car. He had been heading towards the barn when he saw her pull up and turned and headed back to the house to meet her. "I didn't think you were coming until Sunday." She tried to come up every weekend and see them, but it wasn't always possible. Even so, she did her best to get up here at least once every couple of weeks.

"I hadn't planned to come today," Shelby said, "but I need to talk to you and Mom about something."

"Oh," Eugene said, a bit taken aback. "This sounds important."

"It is," Shelby confirmed.

"Well come on in," Eugene said. "We just had lunch, but I know there are leftovers."

"Thanks, Dad." Shelby smiled when he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and walked with her towards the house.

"Sally," Eugene called out when they got inside. "We've got a visitor."

"I'll be right there," Sally Corcoran said. She was upstairs.

"We'll be in the kitchen," Eugene told her.

Eugene directed Shelby to sit down and then went to the refrigerator and started to pull out containers of food.

"Are you hungry?" Eugene asked. "We had last night's leftovers for lunch. But there's plenty more."

"That sounds great," Shelby said. "I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast."

"Shelby!" Sally scolded as she walked into the kitchen.

Shelby turned in her chair and flashed her mother a smile; the same smile that had gotten her out of trouble countless times when she was a kid.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hi," Sally said as she leaned down to give Shelby a hug and a kiss on her head. She sat down next to her daughter and said, "This is a surprise."

"Yeah. I need to talk to you and Dad about something," Shelby said.

"Oh?" Sally's tone was light, but Sally looked over at her husband and exchanged a brief, meaningful glance.

Shelby waited until Eugene had put a plate of amazing looking food in front of her and sat down opposite his wife. She took a few bites of the heavenly food and then started to explain.

"A couple of weeks ago, I met someone," Shelby began.

"Oh!" Sally said brightly.

Shelby rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It's not like that, Mom."

"Oh," Sally said, clearly disappointed. Her desire for grandchildren was no secret.

Shelby took a sip of her water and then launched into her story. She told them about the little scamp of a girl trying to steal her purse all the way up to how she had stayed the night and been picked up that morning.

"Poor thing," Sally said. "I hope they're able to find a good home for her soon."

"Well, they have. I hope," Shelby said.

Her parents knew right away. She could tell by the looks on their faces.

"Shelby," Eugene started.

"I've already filled out all of the paperwork," Shelby said. "I did that just after Leroy left with her."

"Shelby, this isn't like picking out a kitten to bring home," Sally said.

"I know that, Mom," Shelby said. "I'm a grown woman. I understand what a huge responsibility a child will, especially one that's been in and out of foster homes her whole life. But I can't… There's something about her. I can't lose her."

"Shelby, what if she has behavioral or psychological problems?" Eugene asked.

"Then I will deal with them and get her all the help she needs," Shelby said. "I can't explain it. She reminds me of…" she trailed off and looked down. "I can't lose her. I have the money so it's not like I can't afford a kid. I've got the room and I can afford anything she may ever need. I-"

"Alright, sweetheart," Eugene said. "We get it."

Sally nodded and took Shelby's hand and said, "Your dad's right. And we'll be right here for anything you need. I can't wait to meet her."

"You guys are going to love her," Shelby said. "She has these really deep, dark eyes and a hard exterior, but she just wants to be cuddled and held. She hates taking a bath and her hair is all over the place."

"That sounds familiar," Eugene cracked with a pointed look at his daughter.

Shelby blushed and shook her head. There had been a time in her childhood when every bath was a battle. And forget brushing her hair.

"I'm going to have to buy bigger jars of peanut butter," Shelby laughed. "Remember how Tommy used to eat peanut butter all the time? I get the feeling that Rachel would have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for every meal if you let her."

Sally nodded and smiled, but her eyes showed a hurt that was always present whenever Shelby's older brother was mentioned. He had died years ago in a car accident on an icy road.

"Yes, and I remember you crying when he would finish off a jar and you didn't get any," Eugene said.

"You were always the dramatic one," Sally said as she willed her mind to focus on the happier memories.

"Well you can't say I haven't used that trait to my advantage," Shelby said.

"You certainly have," Eugene nodded.

"So tell us about this Rachel," Sally said. Now that she shock had worn off, she found that she was excited.

"She just turned eight, but you'd never know it to look at her," Shelby said. "She's tiny and could easily pass for six. She wants so badly to be loved."

"She'll get plenty of that," Sally said. "When do we get to meet her?"

"In a few days," Shelby said. "If I actually get her tonight. I want her to get settled. And I know she's going to need new clothes and I've got to get all of the information about her school and doctors and all of that."

Sally and Eugene just smiled. Shelby would be fine. Eugene got up and scooped more food onto her plate and Shelby ate happily. She had known her parents were going to be shocked, but that they would get it. They were going to love Rachel and Shelby was excited for them to meet.

Shelby left her parents' about an hour later and was just walking into her apartment when her phone rang. She almost dropped everything in her hands when she saw that it was Leroy. Luckily she held onto the grocery bags long enough to put them down on the kitchen counter before answering.

"Hello," Shelby said hurriedly.

"Shelby, hello," Leroy greeted. "I have some news for you."

"Yes?"

"Everything has been approved and you've been named as Rachel's foster mother," Leroy said.

"Yes, thank you!" Shelby said.

"Like I said before, there will be home visits and we will get full updates every month," Leroy said. "And the state reserves the right to remove her at any time if there is cause."

"I understand," Shelby said. This had all been explained to her when she was in the office earlier that day to start the paperwork. "When will she be here?"

"I can drop her off, but it won't be until later," Leroy answered. "Or you can come by and pick her up any time."

"I'll be there soon," Shelby said. "Does she know?"

"Not yet," Leroy told her. "I will let you tell her when you get here."

"Ok," Shelby said. "I'll be right down."

Rachel sat by herself in the small playroom in Leroy's office building. She'd been in this room more times than she could count. She held Toby in her arms and the rest of her stuff was waiting in Leroy's office. He said he wouldn't be able to take her until later. That was fine with Rachel because the less time she had to spend at that stupid group home, the better.

It had been awkward when she'd gone to the O'Connor's to pack up her stuff. It had all still been there, thankfully, but Mrs. O'Connor had been mean. The only time she spoke to Rachel was to yell at her, but Leroy had told her to stop. Leroy stayed with her while she packed and waited patiently while she checked three times to make sure she hadn't left anything. When all was said and done, she only had two small gym bags, and that included all of her clothes, her blanket and stuffed animals. She also had a few books and small knickknacks that most people would probably consider junk. The only shoes she had were the worn sneakers on her feet and her only jacket was the light windbreaker she was wearing.

Shelby found Leroy's office easily enough and thanked him again. He gave her a copy of Rachel's file for her to look at and also filled her in on enrolling her in the school in Shelby's district. Rachel's school and medical records were also included. Shelby carried the bags down to the playroom and waited, at Leroy's request, while he went in to talk to Rachel.

"Rach," Leroy said. "It's time to go."

Rachel wearily got to her feet and started to walk towards him.

"But I can't take you, so you're going to go with someone else," Leroy told her.

"Who?" Rachel asked.

Leroy squatted down so he could be closer to her height. "Rachel, we found a place for you to stay and you're not going to the group home."

"Really?" Rachel's spirits lifted momentarily. Her smiled faltered though and she worriedly picked at Toby. "It won't be like last time, will it? Do you think these people will like me?"

"It's a little different this time," Leroy began to explain, "because it's not two parents this time, it's just one. A woman. And there won't be any other kids there."

"Really?" Rachel asked. She'd never lived in a foster home where there weren't any other kids. She didn't even know such foster homes existed.

"Yep," Leroy confirmed. "I think you're going to like it there."

"Will the woman like me?" Rachel asked.

"Yes she will," Leroy said with a smile. He looked over his shoulder towards the door and said, "Come on in."

Rachel gasped when Shelby stepped into the room. She moved around Leroy and hurried towards Shelby who didn't hesitate in picking her up and giving her a big hug.

"Am I really going to stay at your house?" Rachel asked.

"Yes you are," Shelby told her.

"Rachel, Shelby is your new foster mom and I want you to listen to her and be a good girl," Leroy said. He gave her a variation of this speech every time she was placed in a new home.

"I will," Rachel promised like she always did. She really meant it this time though.

Shelby set Rachel down and the girl gave Leroy a quick hug before going back over to Shelby's side like the woman would disappear if she took too long. Rachel happily took Shelby's extended hand and smiled brightly.

"Ok kid," Shelby said as she led her out of the room and picked up her bags. "Let's go home."

**A/N – Ok, that's all for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought. I love hearing from you guys. There's more to come soon. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N – I've got the next chapter for you! Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews and messages and for reading. I appreciate it so much and I can't thank you enough. Your feedback means the world to me.**

**Also, I'd like to address a review that pointed out that I've updated this story while neglecting to update She's Always Been Right There. Thanks for your concern for the other story and I'm sorry if you feel it's not getting any attention. I've repeatedly said how hard that story has been for me to write. I haven't forgotten about it and I will definitely be finishing it. As for my being able to post this story so quickly… I had the first three and a half chapters of this story written months ago. Seriously, like eight months ago. I was waiting until I finished She's Always Been Right There to post this one or continue to work on it. But I hit a slump and I was worried that if I didn't try something different, my slump would just get worse. So I pulled this one out and started working on it again. I love this story and have been wanting to write it, but kept putting it off to work on the other one. But I've decided not to do that anymore since this one helps me get my writing flowing again. The first three chapters went up quickly because they were complete. This one took a little more time because I had to finish it and I went out of town for Valentine's Day. Again, I'm sorry if you feel I'm not getting to She's Always Been Right There fast enough, but please cut me some slack and understand that I'm not a robot and this doesn't come automatically to me. I'm doing what I can when I can. I promise I will finish it. **

**On another note, I went to New York City for Valentine's Day and saw Jonathan Groff in concert and it was amazing. He's great. **

**Disclaimer – I don't own Glee.**

Rachel was all smiles as the taxi made its way through the crowded Manhattan streets to the building Shelby lived in. She was sitting in the middle so she'd be close to Shelby and was swinging her legs. She'd held onto Shelby's hand for a long time after they'd gotten into the car and only let go when she'd tried to stretch forward so she could see when they drove through Times Square. Shelby had asked the driver to take that route and he was happy to comply since it added miles and therefore fare for him.

"Look!" Rachel exclaimed. "There's the Wickedsign. Do you see it?"

"I see it," Shelby assured her with a smile. She loved the way Rachel's face lit up.

"Will you still take me to see it?" Rachel asked.

"Of course," Shelby said. "I can't wait to see it with you."

"Have you seen it before?" Rachel turned to look at Shelby intently. She wanted to know about the woman.

"I've seen it a few times," Shelby answered honestly.

"Wow," Rachel said with a hushed reverence.

Rachel went back to looking out the window and Shelby sat back and happily watched the little girl taking it all in. She was going to have to fill her in on her job sooner or later, but for now it could wait.

The beautiful apartment was just as warm and inviting as Rachel remembered. She'd been thinking about it all day because she wanted to make sure she had a clear memory of the place where Shelby lived. It was large, but also seemed cozy and comfortable. Shelby felt more at peace then she had in a long time when she closed the door behind them and knew she had Rachel in her care. There was something about the little imp that calmed her; that made her feel like a missing piece had been filled in. She never doubted she was making the right decision by choosing to foster her, but now she was even more certain. Rachel belonged with her. The girl belonged in her family.

Shelby was also grateful that it was just Thursday night. She could enroll Rachel in school the next day, but had decided that she wouldn't start until Monday. They were going to spend the weekend getting to know one another. But they would also need to go out and get everything Rachel would need. From clothes to school supplies to toys, Rachel would need a lot. Plus Shelby hoped that she and Rachel could drive to her parents' house Sunday morning so Rachel could be introduced to them.

"How about we have some dinner while we get you settled?" Shelby asked. She set Rachel's bags down on the couch.

"Can we have peanut butter and jelly?" Rachel asked.

"Not this time," Shelby said. "We're not going to have that for every meal." She had to laugh when Rachel pouted. "How does pizza sound tonight?"

"I like pizza," Rachel said.

"Good. I'll order some and we can get you unpacked and settled in your room," Shelby said.

"Will I get the same room I had before?" Rachel asked.

"I think that's a good room for you," Shelby said. It was the largest of her guest rooms, but also the closest to her own room. She felt it was better to keep Rachel closer by rather than putting her even farther back in the apartment. "And there's a bathroom across the hall from your room and that will be all yours."

Rachel was in awe. She'd never had her own room or bathroom before. She'd shared with at least one other kid in every home she'd ever stayed in.

"Shelby, can I leave my friends out? And some of my things?" Rachel asked. "You won't throw them away, will you?"

"Of course you can put them out," Shelby said. "It's your room so you get to help decorate. I want you to have your things in there. And I promise I won't throw anything away."

"Thanks!" Rachel eyes lit up as she wrapped her arms around Shelby's waist for a hug. It was such a relief to not have to worry about her friends.

"Why don't you take your stuff into your room and start unpacking," Shelby suggested. "I'll order the pizza and then come and help."

"Okay," Rachel agreed. She picked up her two bags and carried them down the hallway and out of view. Shelby smiled contentedly and reached for her phone to order the pizza.

Rachel had a bath again that night even though she argued it just as she had before. Shelby learned her lesson and didn't leave the girl alone. It was clearly something they were going to have to work on, but for now Shelby would stay and help Rachel until it became routine for the girl. Shelby didn't want to have a fight at bath time every night, but she wasn't going to back down on it either. She wanted to prove to Rachel she would always be there for her.

"Why do I have to go to bed so early?" Rachel asked with a pout later that evening. She was in her own pajamas this time because Shelby had washed all of her clothes earlier.

"It's not early," Shelby said. "It's after 9:30. And when you start school you'll have to go to bed even earlier."

"That's not fair," Rachel whined as she stomped her foot.

"You will have to be up early for school," Shelby reasoned. "And you will need your sleep."

"So," Rachel said. "School is stupid anyway."

"School is not stupid and you will be going," Shelby said firmly. "Now come on, it's time for bed."

Shelby held her hand out for Rachel and sagged her shoulders a bit when the girl didn't take it. Rachel had her arms crossed tightly and was staring hard at the floor. Shelby stepped closer to her and squatted down. She put her hands on Rachel's arms and looked up into the girl's face and was surprised when she saw that Rachel's eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

"What the matter, sweetie?" Shelby asked gently.

"You're still going to be here in the morning, aren't you?" Rachel asked timidly.

"Oh, Rach," Shelby breathed out in sympathy for the scared girl. "Of course I am. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. This is your home now and I am going to take care of you."

"You'll get tired of me," Rachel said so softly that Shelby wasn't even sure she heard her right. "Everyone does."

"No, I won't," Shelby said. "Look at me." She waited until Rachel turned her eyes to look at her and repeated, "No, I won't."

"Why not?" Rachel asked as tears started to make their way down the tiny cheeks. "No one has ever wanted me. Not even my real mom and dad."

"I want you," Shelby said. "I know it may be hard to understand right now, but I need you to trust me. I'm not going to leave you or give you back. You trusted me enough to call me when you needed help and I came and got you. And you trusted me enough to tell me why you were stealing and I said I would help and didn't tell Leroy about it, did I?"

Shelby was trying to put some things in ways that Rachel would understand. Rachel shook her head to answer the last question.

"And I was right here in the morning when you go up today, wasn't I?" Shelby asked.

"Yeah," Rachel muttered.

"And I will be right here tomorrow morning when you get up," Shelby told her. "Okay?"

"Okay," Rachel nodded and sniffed.

"Good girl," Shelby said as she stood up and held her hand out to Rachel once more.

Rachel looked at the hand and then up at Shelby's face and sniffed once more. She wiped her nose and tears with her hand and then clasped it on to Shelby's. Shelby hid her grimace at how disgusting she thought that was and led Rachel down the hall and to the bathroom. She helped Rachel clean her face properly and then washed her hands while the girl brushed her teeth. Shelby tucked her into bed a few minutes later and watched as Rachel curled up with her blanket and litany of stuff animals, Toby the monkey now included.

"You remember where my room is, right?" Shelby asked. She sat down on the bed next to Rachel and rubbed her back.

"Yeah," Rachel said through a yawn.

"I'll be in there all night," Shelby said. "The door will be open and if you need me at all for anything, you can come in and get me. If you're scared or unsure or anything else, come in and get me, okay? I promise I will be there. I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay," Rachel nodded.

Shelby leaned down and kissed Rachel's head before getting up and making sure the blankets were pulled up to her shoulders.

"Sleep well, honey. I love you."

Rachel waited until the door was closed and Shelby had walked away to whisper, "I love you too."

The following morning Shelby was up before Rachel and used that time to make some phone calls. She had done a lot of research the night before and had found a private school where she wanted to enroll Rachel. She hated having to do this to the girl because in spite of only being in second grade, Rachel had been to four different schools already. But Shelby hoped she had found the school Rachel would be at for a long time to come. She called them this morning and then faxed a copy of Rachel's records to them for review. Shelby wasn't sure what she expected to find in Rachel's school records, but was pleased to see that the girl was a good student overall. She did the work when compelled, but all of her teachers made notes of how Rachel kept to herself and was often caught staring out the window when she should have been paying attention. Homework seemed to be an issue too, but Shelby assumed that homework was something a lot of Rachel's foster parents probably didn't pay much attention to. Even from the brief time she'd known her, Shelby knew that Rachel didn't really do things she didn't want to do. If no one kept on top of her homework and Rachel wasn't interested, it wasn't going to get done.

It didn't take long for the school to get back to Shelby and told her that they were accepting the girl and she would be joining a second grade class on Monday. They also faxed over a list of school supplies and uniform requirements. Shelby smiled as she read over the list. The school seemed like it would be a perfect fit for Rachel. The class sizes were small and the academic standards were high.

"Hi," Rachel said a little while later when she walked into the kitchen and looked up at Shelby.

Shelby smiled at the girl's bed head and big yawn. "Good morning, sweetheart. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Do you have any cereal?" Rachel asked.

"I sure do," Shelby answered. Once the bowl was poured and Rachel was eating, Shelby told her, "We're going to go shopping today. How does that sound?"

Rachel scrunched up her nose and shrugged her shoulders. "Shopping for what?"

"Well, I think we need to get you some more clothes and we need to get school supplies," Shelby said.

"Can I get a back pack?" Rachel asked. "I was using an old one at the O'Connors and it smelled weird."

Shelby chuckled and then nodded, "Sure, we can get you a back pack."

"Am I going to a new school?" Rachel asked. "My last new school was hard."

"I'm sorry," Shelby said. "It is a new school, but I think you'll like it. It's a private school and I think it'll be good for you."

"Will it be hard?" Rachel asked around a bite of her cereal.

"I don't know," Shelby answered honestly. "But I will help you with whatever you need help with."

"I wonder if I'll make a friend this time," Rachel said and Shelby realized that Rachel wasn't worried about the school work at all.

"I'm sure you will," Shelby said. "I bet there's some kid there just waiting to be your friend."

"I've never really had a friend," Rachel said. "Except Leroy. And you."

Shelby smiled and reached out and petted down some of Rachel's unruly hair. "I know you'll find one."

A couple hours later they were in a store and Shelby had Rachel by the hand as they walked around and looked. Rachel wasn't as into the clothes as she had been the school supplies and toys. Clothes were just too boring. She wanted to go back to Shelby's and play with some of her new things. But instead they were looking at jeans and stupid shirts with ponies and princesses on them.

Rachel couldn't believe the amount of people who wanted to help Shelby as soon as they came in the store. She knew right away that the store was a lot different than the Wal-Marts and Targets she'd been to, but no one ever rushed to help Mrs. O'Connor like that. Every time Shelby picked something out someone was there to take it from her and hold it up at the counter. Shelby had zoned in on the essentials like underwear and socks as soon as they got there and passed them off to the people helping her.

"Do you see anything you like?" Shelby asked.

"No," Rachel answered.

Shelby rolled her eyes and led them to another rack and let Rachel look there. "How about any of this?"

"It's all the same stuff," Rachel whined.

"No, it's not," Shelby said. "There's lots of different things."

"What's wrong with the clothes I already have?" Rachel asked. She'd been wearing them for a while now and they were just fine.

"They're all old and worn and nothing fits properly," Shelby said. "Plus you can't wear jeans to school."

"What? Why not?" Rachel asked. "I always wear jeans to school."

Shelby knew that was true. Rachel had two pairs of jeans and they were the only pants she owned.

"Because it's a private school and they have a dress code," Shelby told her. "You have to wear khaki or black pants or a skirt and a polo shirt."

"I don't even know what a polo shirt is," Rachel grumbled. "And I don't wear skirts!"

"Then we will get you pants," Shelby said patiently.

"Do we have to do it today?" Rachel asked.

Shelby sighed and looked down and her charge. "Yes. How about I pick some stuff out and you just try them on for me?"

Rachel let out a belabored sigh and nodded, "Okay."

Shelby just shook her head and went back to looking at the clothes.

By the time they got a dressing room, Rachel was certain she'd never seen so many clothes in all her life. And to make it worse, she had to try on all of them. The jeans went fairly quickly after the proper size was discovered. Shelby set aside six pairs that were taken to the front of the store to wait with everything else she was going to buy. The khaki pants were next and once they had the proper pair, Shelby asked the clerk to get her five pairs of those and five of the black design that matched. She figured ten would be a good number since they would be worn for school. Rachel also had to try on shirts and sweatshirts and two jackets and a sweater. She couldn't possibly need all of this stuff.

"Okay honey, I've got one last thing for you to try on," Shelby said and she held up a black skirt for Rachel to see.

"I hate skirts," Rachel whined. "I don't want to have to wear it. Why can't I just wear pants?"

"You can," Shelby said. "But I'd like you to try it on so we can see how it fits."

Rachel looked at Shelby like the woman was purposely out to get her as she stepped into the skirt and let the woman secure it around her waist. It fit perfectly.

"It looks good," Shelby said.

"I look dumb," Rachel retorted. "Please can I take it off?"

"Go ahead," Shelby said.

Shelby stepped out of the room so Rachel could get dressed and asked the woman helping her to find another skirt just like it. She was going to buy two pairs anyway.

Shoes were next and Shelby was glad it was the last thing they had to get. She didn't even bother with trying to get the girl to try on a few dresses. She thought Rachel would have fun getting new stuff, but she thought back to the many times she was dragged shopping with her mother for hours on end and got an understanding of where Rachel was coming from.

Rachel was more excited about getting shoes, but only slightly. Shelby got her two pairs of tennis shoes, two pairs for school, and a dress pair that Rachel was determined never to wear.

Shelby also picked up hats, gloves, and scarves for the girl and had all the packages delivered to her building and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief when they finally walked out the door.

Shelby took them for a quick lunch and then started some laundry as soon as they arrived home. She wanted to get Rachel's new clothes washed and put away and then she could get rid of her old ones.

"Rachel, why don't you take your new toys to your room and put them away where you want them to go," Shelby said. "You can play for a while if you want, but we're going out later tonight."

"We're going out again?" Rachel asked. She wanted to stay in and play with her new stuff.

"Yeah, unless you don't want to. We don't have to go and see Wicked," Shelby said casually.

"We're going to see Wicked tonight?!" Rachel exclaimed as she jumped out and ran to Shelby.

"Only if you want to," Shelby said.

"I do! I really do!" Rachel said. "When do we have to leave? Can we go now?"

"No, we can't go right now," Shelby said. "We don't need to leave until a little bit later. We'll have dinner here first and then we'll go."

"You won't leave without me, will you?" Rachel asked.

"Of course not, sweetheart," Shelby said.

"Okay, good," Rachel said.

With that, she was off and running to her room.

"Rach, don't run in the house," Shelby called after her, but the words fell on deaf ears because Rachel was already in her room.

The theater was already packed by the time they arrived because Shelby wanted to be able to slip in as late as possible and go straight to her seat. She usually didn't mind being noticed and when she went out to a show or a concert or something similar, she knew what she was getting herself into. But it felt different having Rachel there and she didn't want too much to distract the girl from the play.

"Look at all the stuff for sale!" Rachel said as soon as they entered the theater.

"I see," Shelby said. She wished Rachel would have been this enthusiastic about shopping earlier. "Maybe we can get something after it's over, but right now we need to go and take our seats."

"Okay," Rachel agreed. She did study the merchandise stand as they walked away though, as if she were making a mental note of everything she was going to want.

Shelby and Rachel slipped into the theater a few minutes before the show was to start and found their seats.

"Wow," Rachel whispered when she saw the stage and the dragon.

"I know," Shelby agreed as the lights dimmed and the music started.

Rachel was completely beside herself at the intermission and couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Did you see her fly?! And that song was so cool! This was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I don't want it to be over. Can we see it again?"

"It's not over," Shelby said with a chuckle. "This is just a break. There's a whole other act that starts in a few minutes."

"There's more?!" Rachel exclaimed. "We get to see more tonight?!"

"Yes ma'am," Shelby said.

"I can't believe it!" Rachel said excitedly.

"How about we go and get you a shirt while we wait?" Shelby asked.

"Yeah!" Rachel was out of her seat and moving so fast Shelby had to hurry to keep up.

Shelby hear the chattering of people around them as soon as they stepped out into the lobby and headed towards the merchandise stand. A few people got bold and came up and asked her for an autograph and a picture while they waited. Rachel gave them all confused looks and stared up at Shelby. Did she know all of those people?

All of her interest in the people staring at Shelby disappeared when they reached the front of the line and she got to pick out what she wanted. She got two t-shirts and a stuffed flying monkey and a keychain and a magnet. Shelby also bought her a necklace that had Elphaba's hat on it.

"Come on, honey, we need to get back in," Shelby said.

Rachel was more than ready and she pulled Shelby along with one hand while clutching her bag in the other.

When it was over and the lights came up, Shelby looked over at Rachel and saw that the girl had tears streaming down her face.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Shelby asked, concerned.

Rachel wiped at her face and looked at Shelby with earnest, open eyes and said, "That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

"I'm so glad you liked it," Shelby said.

"I want to do that," Rachel said with certainty. "When I grow up I'm going to sing like that and be on stage. I've never seen anything so magical."

"I know how you feel," Shelby said.

"Can we see it again?" Rachel asked. "I have to see it again."

"Yes, we can," Shelby told her. "There are other shows we can see too that I think you'll like very much."

"Really?" Rachel asked.

"Yep," Shelby said. "But for now, we need to get home. What do you say?"

Rachel nodded and got to her feet and they followed the crowds out into the lobby. Shelby headed towards the escalators that would lead to the exits, but Rachel stopped and started looking around.

"Shelby, I've gotta go to the bathroom," Rachel said.

Shelby sighed and looked at the massive line coming out of the ladies room. For a moment she thought about taking Rachel backstage and meeting some of the actors and letting her use the restroom there because that would certainly be faster than waiting, but she decided that was a trip for another day. So she kept Rachel close and went over and got in line with everyone else. It didn't take long for people to realize she was there and Shelby knew what the silence that followed meant.

"Wow, you're amazing," one girl said. "Can I take a picture with you?"

"Sure," Shelby said with a smile. She knew it would open the floodgates and everyone would want one, but it would be way too awkward to say no while they all waited in the long line.

Rachel stood next to Shelby and watched her new foster mother take pictures with strangers and sign their playbills. She didn't understand what was happening and why everyone wanted to talk to Shelby. All of those people got pictures and Rachel wasn't sure why.

"Shelby?" Rachel asked with a tug on the woman's sleeve.

"Yeah?" Shelby asked as she bent down to be at Rachel's level.

"Why are all those people talking to you and taking pictures?"

"I will explain it all to you later," Shelby said. She had hoped to push this conversation off for a little while, but now there was no way of getting out of addressing it.

Shelby was happy to get out of the bathroom and theater and into a waiting car. Rachel talked the entire ride home about the show and music and costumes and everything else and Shelby was glad to let her talk. Bath time wasn't even a fight when they got home because Rachel was too busy telling Shelby every detail of the show to complain about the bath. She went to sleep that night with her arms wrapped around her new stuffed Chistery doll.

The following day Shelby sat Rachel down to explain why everyone knew her and wanted a picture. The girl may have forgotten about it the night before, but it was her first question that morning.

"I don't understand why everyone knew your name," Rachel said when they took a seat on the couch. She sat up on her knees and faced Shelby.

"Rach, you know how you said last night that you wanted to be like the people on the stage and get to be in musicals and act when you're older?" Shelby asked and Rachel nodded. "Well that's what my job is. I'm an actress and I've been in musicals and I've been in movies and I'm pretty well known and that's why people know who I am."

"You're an actress?" Rachel asked. "You're like the people we saw last night?"

"Yes," Shelby said.

"You're famous?" was Rachel's next question.

"Yes," Shelby answered again.

"But I've never heard of you," Rachel said and Shelby chuckled. Leave it to a kid to bring you right back down to earth.

"Other people have and they think it's neat to see someone famous and have a picture with them," Shelby explained. "And that's why people were asking me."

"I bet they really love you," Rachel said with a wide smile.

"I guess some do," Shelby responded.

"You can sing like those people on stage last night?" Rachel asked and Shelby nodded. Rachel gasped, "Have you ever been in Wicked with those people?"

"No, sweetheart, I wasn't in Wicked. I was in some other shows, but they were musicals like Wicked," Shelby explained.

"Can I see them?" Rachel asked. "Can I see the movies you were in?"

"Maybe one day," Shelby said.

"Will you sing me a song?" Rachel asked.

"Sure," Shelby said with a smile. "What do you want to hear?"

"Anything," Rachel shrugged.

"Alright," Shelby said. "Sit right there."

Shelby stood up and began to sing one of the songs from her last show. She smiled when Rachel's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. It felt amazing to sing for her and see the reaction from this little girl she'd just brought into her life.

Rachel applauded when Shelby was through and the woman took a small bow and smiled for Rachel.

"How do you do that?" Rachel asked. "That was amazing! You're so cool! Can I take a picture with you?"

"Whoa, slow down," Shelby said. "I work very hard, that's how I can do that. And I'm not that cool. And yes, you can take a picture with me. Grab my phone and come here."

Rachel did as she was told and Shelby sat down in a chair and put Rachel in her lap and then held her phone out to take a selfie. It was a good picture and Shelby kissed Rachel's head and reminded herself to download it later because it was the first picture they'd ever taken together. When Rachel got up and disappeared into her room to play, Shelby sent it to her parents so they could see the little girl.

Later that evening, the two were locked into a familiar fight when Rachel declared she didn't need a bath since it was Saturday and she hadn't done anything all day.

"Rachel, I'm not going to argue about this with you," Shelby said. "You are taking a bath every night, end of story."

"It's stupid," Rachel yelled.

Shelby closed her eyes and tried to maintain her cool. She was determined not to lose this battle of wills with the eight year old in her care.

"Rachel, I think it's time for a time out," Shelby said when she opened her eyes and looked at the defiant child in front of her.

"No," Rachel whined immediately and shook her head.

"Yes," Shelby said. She took Rachel gently by the arm and marched her dining room and pulled out one of the chairs and turned it so it was facing the wall, but far enough away so Rachel wouldn't be able to prop her feet on it if she wanted to. Shelby and her brother had spent many time outs in that exact position in their younger days.

"I don't want to sit here," Rachel cried when Shelby sat her in the chair.

"That's too bad," Shelby said. "You are in time out and you need to calm down. You are getting a bath every night and we are not going to go through this fight every night. You will find yourself in time out a lot because this is a fight I'm going to win. Now sit still and calm down."

"You're not very cool anymore," Rachel yelled as Shelby left her sitting facing the wall.

"That's fine," Shelby called back.

Rachel crossed her arms and stared at the wall so hard she could have put a hole in it. Time outs were so unfair. Despite that perceived unfairness, Rachel did not get up from the chair. She liked Shelby, she just hated baths.

Shelby went down the hall to Rachel's bathroom and ran a warm bath for the girl. She didn't know how long this fight was going to last, but she was hoping she could break the girl of throwing a fit every night before it lasted too much longer. She hadn't wanted to put the girl in time out, but she also knew she had to put her foot down. She had to be the authority.

Shelby returned to Rachel ten minutes later and found a quiet and calm little girl in place of the yelling child she'd place there before.

"You can get up now," Shelby said.

Rachel slid from the chair and turned and looked up at Shelby, but didn't say anything.

"I've got your bath all ready. Come on and I'll help you and it'll be over before you know it," Shelby said.

Rachel sighed but stepped forward and took Shelby's hand all the same.

A little while later a squeaky clean Rachel with braided hair and new pajamas was tucked into bed and sleeping peacefully among her family of stuffed animals. Shelby looked down at her and gently moved some hair from her face. She wished she knew how to help when it came to bath time. She would talk to her parents tomorrow and see if they had any advice to offer her.

By the morning, Rachel's tantrum and time out were forgotten and the girl happily sat in the back of Rachel's car as they drove out of the city and towards the Corcoran ranch.

"How long is the drive?" Rachel asked.

"Not too much longer now," Shelby said. "My parents are excited to meet you."

"Will there be stuff to play with?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, I think you'll have a good time," Shelby said.

Half an hour later they were pulling up the long driveway and parking in front of the house.

"Shelby!" Rachel exclaimed from the back seat. "Look! They've got horses!"

Shelby smiled widely in the front seat and was glad she had kept that a secret from the girl.

"I'm gonna go see them," Rachel said as soon as the car was stopped. She had her seat belt off and the door open before Shelby could even react.

"Rachel, wait," Shelby yelled, but the girl was running full speed ahead. Shelby had no choice but to run after her.

Rachel reached the fence and climbed to the top and looked at two of the horses that lived there. She put her legs over the side and was ready to hop down into the pasture where they were grazing and see them.

**A/N – That is all for this chapter. I hope you all like it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Your feedback means so much to me. Thanks, everyone! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N – I'm sorry about the long delay with getting this chapter out. Life gets in the way and I've been travelling and things like that. But I've got another chapter for you all and I hope you enjoy it. I'm having a lot of fun with this little story and I'm glad you all are coming along for the ride. **

**Thank you all so much for your reviews and notes and questions. I appreciate it so much. Your feedback means a lot to me. **

**Disclaimer – I don't own Glee. **

Eugene and Sally stood on the porch with coffee mugs and watched as Shelby stopped and a little girl darted out of the car. They'd heard them approaching and came out onto the porch to greet the pair. A few seconds later Shelby also got out of the car and started to run after the girl.

"Rachel, wait!" Shelby yelled. Rachel was already at the fence and climbing to the top.

"I want to see the horses," Rachel yelled back.

Shelby got to the fence and grabbed Rachel around the waist and lifted her up just as she was trying to jump down into the pasture with the horses.

"Shelby!" Rachel whined.

"I will show you the horses later, but you can't just jump in there with them," Shelby said. "They are a lot bigger than you."

"I want to ride one," Rachel said. She started squirm so she could be let down because Shelby was now walking back towards the house with her. "Shelby."

"Stop it now," Shelby said. "We can meet the horses in a little while. Right now I want you to meet my parents."

"Okay," Rachel said with a labored sigh that made Shelby roll her eyes.

Eugene and Sally shared a look and their eyes shown in merriment at the scene before them. They knew Shelby could do this, but they also knew their daughter had no clue just how hard having a child would be.

Rachel studied the new adults as Shelby carried her towards them and she could see that they were watching her as well. The moment Shelby set her on her feet, Rachel moved so she could stand slightly behind her foster mother.

"Rachel, you don't have to be shy," Shelby said as she tried to coax her back out. "These are my parents Sally and Eugene. Mom and Dad, this is Rachel."

"It's very nice to meet you, Rachel," Sally said. She stepped forward and leaned down while putting her hand out for Rachel to shake.

"Hi," Rachel said softly as she shook Sally's hand half-heartedly. This was how most meetings with new foster parents went.

"Hello," Eugene said as he too stepped forward to get a better look at the little girl.

"Hi," Rachel said. She shook Eugene's hand too.

"Are you hungry?" Sally asked. "We've got lunch all prepared."

"It depends on what it is," Rachel answered honestly.

"Rachel," Shelby scolded gently, but her parents just laughed.

"I think you'll like it," Sally assured her.

A few minutes later everyone was around the table and Rachel was enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk. She'd been thrilled when they walked into the kitchen and she saw the peanut butter out and ready to go. Eugene had a sandwich too while Shelby and Sally opted for salads. Rachel smiled when Eugene winked at her like they were sharing a secret that the other two just couldn't understand.

"Rachel, can you tell us a bit about yourself?" Sally asked.

"I don't know," Rachel shrugged. "I like peanut butter and jelly."

"I can see that," Sally said. "Shelby said you two went and saw Wicked. How did you like that?"

"I loved it!" Rachel gushed. "Shelby said we can see it again. And she said there are other shows like that that we can see. Did you know she did stuff like that?"

"Yep, I knew that," Sally said.

"Lots of people were asking to take pictures with her and she said it's because she's famous, but I've never heard of her," Rachel said.

Sally and Eugene couldn't help but laugh while Shelby shook her head with a wry smile.

Rachel looked over at Shelby and her eyes shown as a new idea came to her.

"Can we go and see Wicked again tomorrow?" Rachel asked. "Or one of the other shows you said I'd like? Can we do that?"

"Sorry, kiddo, but you've got to go to school tomorrow," Shelby said.

"But I don't like school," Rachel whined. "It would be more exciting to see Wicked again."

"Tomorrow will be exciting because it'll be your first day," Shelby reasoned.

"I don't like the first day," Rachel said. She'd had too many of them for her liking.

"I really think you'll like this school," Shelby said seriously. "And you need to do your best because school is important. Definitely more important than Wicked."

"I don't believe that," Rachel sulked. What could be more important than something like Wicked?

"It's true," Eugene said. "School is important. What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I'm going to be in a show like Wicked one day!" Rachel said with so much enthusiasm she had to sit up on her knees. "It's so magical and exciting."

Eugene and Sally looked at Shelby in surprise and Shelby nodded in conformation to Rachel's declaration.

"That's what she said she wants to do," Shelby told them.

"Well, it's a good goal," Sally said to Rachel. "But you still have to go to school. Shelby went to college and got two different degrees." Sally was so proud of Shelby, for everything, but especially for her education.

"Don't you just need one?" Rachel asked.

"I wanted the second one," Shelby said and Rachel crinkled her nose.

"That sounds boring," Rachel said. "Why would anyone want to go to school for that long?"

"I liked it," Shelby said with a shrug. "Just like I bet you're going to like school once you start."

"As long as I don't have to wear a stupid skirt," Rachel said.

"You don't," Shelby assured her.

Sally and Eugene smiled at one another again. They were quite taken with Rachel and were glad Shelby made the decision she did. They'd only known for close to an hour, but they understood how Shelby just couldn't let her go.

Rachel finished with her sandwich and gulped down the rest of her milk and was about to wipe her sleeve across her mouth when Shelby caught her arm and handed her a napkin to use instead.

"Can I go see the horses now?" Rachel asked Shelby. "Please."

"Have you ever been around horses before?" Eugene asked.

"I've seen the horses pulling the carriages in Central Park," Rachel answered. "Sometimes I get to pet them. Please, Shelby."

"Come on; I'll take you," Eugene said.

Rachel hesitated and darted her eyes towards Shelby. She liked Eugene and everything, but she hadn't anticipated having to be away from Shelby. She hadn't been anywhere without Shelby since Friday when she was told she would be living with the woman.

"I'll come too," Shelby said. She knew Rachel was worried and she was doing her best to reassure the girl. Ever since Rachel wanted to make sure Shelby would still be there in the morning, Shelby had caught her watching her or checking on her as if to make sure they were still in the apartment together.

By the time they got to the barn, Rachel was ready to jump and down with excitement. Along with the two horses enjoying the sunshine out in the pasture, there were five more in the barn. Rachel ran to the first stall and jumped so she could get a better look over the fence.

"Hi, horse," Rachel said.

"His name is Winston," Eugene said. "Here." He surprised Rachel by picking her up and holding her out so she could pet Winston's nose.

"Hi, Winston," Rachel said with a bright smile. She loved animals although she didn't really get to spend much time around them. One foster home she'd been in had a puppy that had become close to her. She cried when she had to leave the house because she had to leave the dog.

Eugene put Rachel down and she wandered to a few more stalls and was introduced to the other horses.

"Do you own all of these horses?" Rachel asked.

"No," Eugene answered. "Only Winston belongs to us. People bring their horses to live here and we care for them and ride them. And when the people want to see their horse or take them out, they can do that."

"Can I ride a horse?!" Rachel asked excitedly. She hadn't even been listening after she heard him say they ride the horses. "Please? Can I?"

Eugene looked over at Shelby and Sally and knew right away what the answer was. They were both smiling at how excited Rachel was about the horses. The animals were well loved in the Corcoran household and they were thrilled with Rachel's exuberance. Plus Shelby knew that they were all kidding themselves if they thought Rachel wasn't going to ask eventually.

"Absolutely you can," Shelby answered. "I will show you how to put the saddle on and you and I can ride around together for a little bit."

"Thanks!" Rachel said. "Who are we riding?"

"We'll take Winston out," Shelby said as she headed towards his stall.

Ten minutes later Winston was ready and in the pasture and Shelby was helping Rachel get her helmet on securely. When it was in place, Shelby made sure Rachel's new jacket was zipped up tight and then she put her own helmet on.

"I'm going to get on first and then my dad will lift you up and you will sit in front of me," Shelby said. "We'll go down a short trail and then come back."

"Okay!" Rachel said with a huge smile.

Shelby mounted the horse and held him steady as Rachel was lifted up. Once the girl was situated, Shelby wrapped her arms around Rachel and took the reins lightly. Shelby had grown up riding horses and was right at home as she encouraged Winston to walk at a leisurely pace. Sally opened the fence for them and Winston walked out and towards one of the many trails on the property.

"This is amazing!" Rachel said. "Have you always known how to ride horses?"

"I've been riding since I was younger than you," Shelby answered. "My parents bought this ranch and had horses living here before I was even born."

"Will you teach me how to ride them?" Rachel asked.

"Of course I will," Shelby said. "But Rachel, the very first rule you have to remember is that you are not allowed to try and ride by yourself until I say it's okay. Or if I'm helping you. You have to learn first and that takes time. I don't want you around the horses by yourself until you know more about them. And you must always have a helmet on when you're riding any horse. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Rachel answered. "And that's okay. I like riding with you."

Tears pricked Shelby's eyes as she felt Rachel lean back into her and relax. This was perfect and she was so happy. Shelby thought back fondly to riding horses just like this with her mother when she was younger. The ability to share this with Rachel was incredible.

They returned the pasture half an hour later and returned Winston to his friends in the barn.

"Do you two want to stay for dinner?" Sally asked after they'd returned to the house from the barn.

"Not this time," Shelby said. "I want to get home relatively early since tomorrow is the first day of school.

Rachel slumped her shoulders. She had hoped that Shelby would forget about that.

"Well Rachel, it was really nice to have met you," Sally said. She leaned down in front of Rachel and gently hugged her. "I can't wait for you to come out here and visit again."

"I can't wait either," Rachel said honestly.

"Good," Sally said with a bright smile. It may not be in the way she'd always assumed, but Sally was happy and excited to get to be a grandmother to this little girl.

"Can I have a hug too, Rachel?" Eugene asked.

Rachel obliged and then smiled up at the man. "Thanks for letting me ride your horse."

"Anytime, sweetheart," Eugene said. "I know you'll be just as good as Shelby one day."

Rachel looked over at Shelby and beamed before looking back at Eugene. "She said she would teach me."

"I hope you'll let us help as well," Eugene said.

"I will," Rachel assured him. Eugene's smile lit the room.

"Ok, Rach, it's time we hit the road. Let's go," Shelby said. She hugged her parents and then started to guide the girl to the door.

When they stopped to put on their jackets and hats Rachel looked up at an old family picture on the wall. "Who is that?" she asked curiously.

Shelby didn't need to look to know what Rachel was referring to, but she did anyway. "That's my brother Tommy."

"You have a brother?" Rachel asked. "Where is he? Will he come and visit?"

Shelby looked back at her parents apologetically. She hated to see the hurt that crossed their faces. She was met with Rachel's confused features when she looked back down at the girl. She was struck so suddenly with déjà vu that she quickly looked back over at the picture as if to get some clue of what memory she was having.

"Does he live in New York?" Rachel asked, trying to get Shelby's attention back on her.

"No, honey, he doesn't," Shelby said. "I will tell you all about him another time. But for right now, we need to get going."

Rachel accepted that easily enough and headed out the front door. Shelby lingered a bit and went back to her parents and hugged them both once more. They each held her a little too tightly and for a little too long, but she'd never say so. She needed that comfort as much as they did.

The following morning found Rachel doing everything she could to stall so she could delay getting ready to go to school. She'd already had her breakfast and brushed her teeth and now she was stubbornly sitting next to her new clothes on the bed. If she put them on, she'd have to leave for school and that was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Shelby asked when she came into the room. "You're supposed to be getting dressed for school." Rachel was sitting on the bed wearing just her panties and an undershirt.

"Maybe I could stay home another day with you," Rachel said.

Shelby sighed and looked at Rachel with sympathy. She sat down on the bed and lifted Rachel up and sat the girl on her lap. Rachel looked up at Shelby with big and vulnerable eyes and the woman was close to letting her have her way. One day wouldn't hurt anything, but she knew that if they waited, it be even harder the next day.

"Rachel, I know you're worried and I know you're scared, but you've got to go to school," Shelby told her. I think this school will be different from the other schools you've been to. The classes don't have as many kids in them and the teachers all sounded really nice."

"But what if they all laugh at me?" Rachel asked.

"Why would they laugh at you, honey?" Shelby answered with a question of her own.

"Because I'm the kid without any parents," Rachel said, revealing quite a bit about her some of her school days had been in the past. "People think foster kids are strange."

"Sweetheart, none of the other kids have to know you're a foster child," Shelby said.

"They always find out," Rachel told her.

"I'm sorry you've have bad experiences in the past," Shelby said. "But this time you don't have to worry about that type of label. You won't know anyone else at this school and they don't have to know anything you don't want them to know. I bet you even make a friend today. And I've looked at your records from your other schools and it looks like you do pretty well in class."

Rachel shrugged and said, "That's not hard because some of the teachers were the only friends I've ever had."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Shelby cooed as she tucked Rachel's hair behind her ear. "I really think this school will be different and I want you to give it your very best. I know you will make friends and continue to make good grades. You're a good girl, Rachel."

Rachel's eyes filled with tears and she looked up at Shelby with such sorrow. "It doesn't matter if you're good if no one notices you anyway."

"Oh honey," Shelby said as she pulled Rachel closer to her and held her tightly. She rocked Rachel and gently patted the girl's bottom with the hope of comforting her. "I notice you. And your old teachers notice you. They wrote a lot of nice things about you in your records. You are so special and I love you very much."

"I love you too," Rachel said as her tears finally fell.

Shelby smiled as she continued to rock them, not at all worried anymore if they were a little late to school. They stayed silent for a few minutes until Shelby finally had Rachel sit back so she could wipe the tears from her face.

"Do you want me to help you get dressed?" Shelby asked. She picked up the tiny polo shirt next to her when Rachel nodded sadly. Shelby pulled the shirt over Rachel's head and then slipped her pants up and buttoned them. She even put the girl's shoes on as if Rachel were a toddler and couldn't do it on her own. Shelby wasn't going to make a habit of this, but right now Rachel needed it.

"Do you think I can take one of my stuffed animals with me today?" Rachel asked. "I'll leave him in my bag the whole time and I promise I won't lose him."

"I think that would be fine for today," Shelby said.

Rachel stepped over to her band of friendly stuffed animals and chose a small frog named Franklin and tucked him under her arm.

"Come on, let's go and pack him in your bag," Shelby said. "I've got your lunch all ready too. How does a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and apple slices sound?"

"Good," Rachel answered. She even smiled slightly as she took Shelby's hand and walked out of her room.

Rachel still held tightly to Shelby's hand as they stood in the front office of the school and got all of the information about Rachel's new teacher and the school. They had missed the start of the day by half an hour, but the principal assured Shelby that it wasn't a problem. The woman knew of Rachel's situation and her status as a foster child, as did her teacher, Mrs. Johnson. They didn't encounter many foster children as students, but they were prepared to help Shelby and Rachel as much as they could. And besides all of that, Rachel's grades were good and it was believed by all that she'd be able to handle the high standards they had for academics.

"Rachel, I will take you down to your classroom," Mrs. Ripley, the principal, said.

"Okay," Rachel said shyly.

Shelby turned to Rachel and squatted down in front of her. "You're going to do great today, sweetheart. Don't be scared. I will be here waiting for you when you get out this afternoon."

"You promise?" Rachel asked.

"I promise," Shelby confirmed. "I will meet you and we can walk home together. I can't wait to hear all about your day."

"Okay," Rachel nodded.

"Be a good girl. I love you." Shelby gave her a kiss on the head and then stood back up and looked over to Mrs. Ripley.

"Alright then, Rachel, I will show you the way," Mrs. Ripley said.

Rachel nodded and followed the woman from the office, only stopping once to look back at Shelby and wave goodbye. Shelby's chin trembled at Rachel was out of sight and she did her best to pull herself together because she knew all the eyes in the office were on her.

Mrs. Johnson was working through a math lesson with her second graders when there was a knock at the door followed by the principal and Rachel entering the room. The students all sat up a little straighter because of the presence of Mrs. Ripley, but also because they all wanted to get a look at the new girl at the woman's side.

"Rachel, this is your teacher Mrs. Johnson."

Rachel looked up at the tall woman and who was staring right back down at her.

"Welcome to the class, Rachel," Mrs. Johnson said.

"Thank you," Rachel said softly.

"Okay, I will leave you all to get acquainted," Mrs. Ripley said. "Have a good day, class."

When the principal was gone a buzz fell over the room as the kids started to whisper about this new development. Rachel didn't look over at the kids and she felt her anxiousness growing but she didn't want to let anyone else know she was scared.

"Rachel, I've got your books all prepared for you. They're sitting on that desk right over there," Mrs. Johnson said. She pointed to where she wanted Rachel to sit. "We're working on page 73 of the math book so why don't you take a seat and get a notebook and a pencil and follow along. And if you have any questions, please raise your hand and ask."

"Okay," Rachel said with a shaky voice.

Mrs. Johnson put a hand on Rachel's back and led her to her desk and helped her put her backpack on the back of her chair.

"We're all friends in here, Rachel," Mrs. Johnson said. "So there's no need to worry."

Rachel only nodded as she turned in her seat so she could get out a notebook and a pencil. It wasn't until Mrs. Johnson was back in front of the room and carrying on with her lesson that Rachel finally took a moment to survey the room. The other kids all looked normal and the only thing different than the other schools she'd been in was that everyone was dressed the same. Her eyes fell on the window next and Rachel found herself staring at a tree for the rest of the math lesson. It wasn't until Mrs. Johnson announced that it was time for music that Rachel brought her attention back to the room and the other students. She lined up with the rest of them and was soon back in the hallway.

The music room was bright and full of instruments and chairs and Rachel followed everyone else and took a seat. They formed a semi-circle around the middle of the room.

"What were you staring at in the class?"

Rachel was surprised when someone spoke to her and she looked to her left and saw the boy sitting next to her looking at her expectantly.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"What were you looking at? During math? You're supposed to be paying attention, you know."

"I don't know," Rachel said.

The boy heaved a sigh and shook his head. "How do you not know what you were looking at?"

"I was looking at the tree," Rachel told him.

"I've climbed all the way to the top of that tree," he said. "It's not hard. If you know what you're doing."

"I can climb trees," Rachel said and the boy levelled her with a look that made it clear he very much doubted that. "I can!"

"If you say so."

"I do," Rachel said defensively. She looked away from him then and crossed her arms. She didn't stay silent very long before looking back over at the boy and asking, "What are we going to do in here?"

"Sing," the boy said with a duh tone. "Sometimes we play a few instruments, but mostly we sing. I'm the best singer in the class."

"I know someone who can sing better than you," Rachel bragged.

The boy scoffed and his mouth dropped open in shock. Did she really just say that to him?

"I highly doubt that," the boy said.

Rachel was about to retort when the teacher walked in and closed the door behind him. "Good morning, class."

"Mr. Schuester, we have a new person in our class," the boy said with a raised hand before anyone else could say anything. "She's right here."

Rachel blushed and wanted to sink down into her seat.

"I can see that. You must be Rachel," he said to the girl. "I'm Mr. Schuester, your music teacher. Welcome."

"Thanks," Rachel mumbled.

"Why don't we start our class by performing a song for Rachel?" Mr. Schuester said to the students. "We can sing one that we performed in our winter recital."

The class grumbled but complied as they all got to their feet and formed up at the front of the room. The boy that had been talking with Rachel stood front and center.

"Jesse, are you ready to lead us off?" Mr. Schuester asked.

"Of course," Jesse said with a smirk in Rachel's direction. He'd prove to her that she didn't know anyone that could sing better than him.

Shelby sat in a deli a few blocks from the school and nervously ate her lunch. She'd gone home for a couple hours after dropping Rachel off, but had been too jumpy to be able to sit there all day. She took a long walk and was now eating lunch and checking her watch every few minutes. She had told Rachel not to be nervous, but Shelby was finding it hard to keep her own advice. She wanted so badly for Rachel to have a good day and to enjoy it that she could barely concentrate on anything else. She hoped this feeling wore off eventually because if this was going to be what school days were like for her she'd never be able to get any work done. She'd already stopped herself twice from going to the school to check and see if Rachel was okay. She took another bite of her sandwich and looked up at the clock on the wall and sighed when she realized she still had two more hours to go.

"So what did you think of my singing?" Jesse asked when he sat down next to Rachel at the lunch table.

"You were good," Rachel said. It wasn't a lie; Jesse was very good and Rachel had been taken in by the performance.

"Better than whoever you think can sing better than me?" Jesse assumed.

"No," Rachel answered. "I bet there isn't anyone better than her."

Jesse rolled his eyes and shook his head. This girl clearly had no idea what she was talking about.

"I can prove it to you," Rachel said. "I can get her to sing for you."

"How would you do that?" Jesse asked. He had to admit that he was curious. He'd never met anyone who could sing better than he could; his parents told him so all the time.

"You could come to where I live and then she would sing for you," Rachel said. Her words sounded sure, but on the inside Rachel chastised herself for making such a bold statement. What if Shelby didn't want her inviting anyone over to the apartment? And what if she wouldn't sing for Jesse? What if she got in trouble for even inviting someone over?

"Okay," Jesse said. "Can I come over today?"

"Sure," Rachel said after a slight hesitation.

Jesse nodded and took a bite of his sandwich and then said, "I'll ask my mom after school and she can bring me."

Rachel gave him a nervous smile and said, "Okay."

When they got back to class, Rachel opened her notebook and found the paper Shelby had written out for her in case anything happened. It had her address and phone number on it. Rachel quickly copied the address onto a piece of paper and handed it to Jesse so he and his mom could find the apartment after school.

The end of the day finally came and Rachel gathered up her notebook and new homework folder and the books she needed that night and stuff them all into her backpack. Jesse waved goodbye as he passed her and met up with him mom. Rachel could see him talking animatedly to the woman before taking her eyes off of them to scan for Shelby. There were a lot of kids and adults milling about the front of the school and Rachel's breathing became a little heavier when she couldn't find Shelby. She said she'd be there to get her when the day was over. She hoped the woman hadn't forgotten her already.

"Rachel," Shelby called out as she made her way towards the girl.

Rachel breathed a great sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around Shelby's waist. "You came back."

"Of course I did, sweetheart," Shelby said. "I promised you I would. Come on, let's go home."

Shelby listened as Rachel rattled on about her day as they walked home. She talked about her teacher and the tree outside her window and lunch and how she thought she'd really like when they got to go to music class. Rachel was avoiding the subject of Jesse all together because for as quick as she'd been to tell Jesse he could come over, she had no idea how to actually ask if that was okay.

"What kind of things did you learn today?" Shelby asked once they were back home and in the apartment.

"I don't know," Rachel shrugged.

"Rachel, I hope you were paying attention while Mrs. Johnson was teaching," Shelby said. Rachel's silence was all the admission Shelby needed. "Honey, the trees and music class are great, but you have to listen during the lessons too. You've been doing really well in school up until now and I don't want that to change. Do you have any homework?"

"She gave us a whole folder full," Rachel complained.

"Well let's see what you have to do?" Shelby said.

"Do I have to do it now?" Rachel asked.

"I'm afraid so," Shelby said. "Let's knock it out and then you can play afterwards. Did you make any friends today?"

"Maybe," Rachel said as she opened the folder to show Shelby.

"That's great, honey," Shelby gushed. "I told you that you would. What's their name?"

"Jesse," Rachel answered. She glanced at the front door and hoped that maybe Jesse's mom had said he wasn't allowed to come over today. After all, they'd been home for about fifteen minutes already and she thought he'd be coming right after school.

"That's wonderful!"

"Shelby?" Rachel asked tentatively. "Do you think I can have Jesse come over here one day? To play?" It was easier to ask when she didn't think anymore that he'd be showing up that day.

"Of course, sweetheart," Shelby said. "You can have friends here."

Shelby felt for Rachel when she saw the relief on the girl's features. It was clear she hadn't been in many places that allowed her to have friends over to play.

"Thanks!" Rachel said. "I'm going to go and tell Toby and my other friends."

Rachel slid from her chair and almost made it out of the room before Shelby realized what she was doing.

"Wait a second, not so fast, young lady," Shelby said. "Get back here and do your math homework."

"Shelby," Rachel whined as she turned and trudged back towards the table.

"Sorry, kiddo," Shelby said though Rachel could tell she wasn't sorry at all.

While Rachel worked, Shelby got up to fix her a snack. She was so pleased with how well this day had gone for Rachel. Shelby had actually been quite worried about whether Rachel would make a friend so soon, but she was glad to hear about the girl's new acquaintance. She was going to do everything she could to make this Jesse kid feel welcome so that Rachel would feel comfortable knowing she was allowed to have friends over.

The apartment phone rang on the table next to Rachel and she looked up as Shelby came in the room to answer it.

"Hello, Dustin," Shelby said to the doorman downstairs in the building. She knew it was him because the doorman was the only one that ever called this number. "No, I wasn't expecting anyone. Who did you say it was? No, I don't know a Martha and her son Jesse."

Shelby heard Rachel's small gasp and looked at the girl and then she remembered.

"Dustin, is it Jesse from school?" Shelby asked while watching Rachel. "Ahh, okay. Sure, send them up."

"It seems as if Jesse is coming over today," Shelby said to Rachel after she hung up the phone.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said as her eyes filled with tears. "I didn't mean to tell him he could come over today, but I did. I have to show him. Please don't be mad, Shelby."

**A/N – That's all for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Again, sorry about the delay. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. Thanks! **


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